


Harry Potter and the Blood Star Cult

by LizRaph



Series: HP Blood Star Cult [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 18:50:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17493338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizRaph/pseuds/LizRaph
Summary: It's another semester at Hogwarts, and the new subject in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class is the ancient wizard, Count Dezeed. When a new professor brings along a dark artifact to class, along with it comes Count Dezeed's followers, the cult of the Blood Star, and they want Harry out of Hogwarts...but why?





	Harry Potter and the Blood Star Cult

**Author's Note:**

> I guess I would call this an AU fic since Harry's time at Hogwarts is so packed, it's hard to find places to add new adventures. Let's say this story takes place after Chamber of Secrets when the kids are still on the younger side. I hope you enjoy it.

“Come on, Harry!” Ron said. “We’re going to be late again!”

“Sorry, Ron. Go on without me. I’ll find it and be right behind you...Maybe.” Harry flipped over the covers of his four post bed. His hand gropped between the sheets. Nothing. Under the bed perhaps? He dropped down to take a fourth look. No, still not there. “Where could it have gone?” Harry said. Harry and Ron had ran back to their room at the Gryffindor dormitory after their transfiguration class when Harry noticed he was missing his next class’s text, The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, and he knew today was not a day to forget it, or be late for class for that matter. The Defense Against the Dark Arts class had a big change starting today.

Ron flipped open the trunk at the foot of Harry’s bed. “You’re sure it’s not in here?” Ron asked. He dug through Harry’s other books, some spare socks and drawers, a few empty chocolate frog wrappers, but no Dark Arts book.

“I’ve already checked three times. Perhaps it ended up in your trunk somehow?”

Ron sighed and dropped the items back in Harry trunk and felt his finger touch something silky. Something silky that wasn’t there. He grabbed at the silky nothing with all five fingers and ripped it back. From it spilled a number of books and trinkets, including the lost Dark Arts book. “Found it!” Ron said.

Harry looked up, shocked. He noticed Ron’s right hand had suddenly gone missing. With his left hand he grabbed the text and tossed it on Harry’s bed. 

“It was under your invisibility cloak,” Ron said. He threw the cloak back in the trunk -- his hand suddenly reappeared -- and he closed the trunk.

Harry let out a long breath and rolled his eyes. “For bloody--”  
“Come on! Before we get detention!” Ron said, running for the stairs. Harry was right behind him, book in hand. 

The halls of Hogwarts were mostly empty. Students had already packed into their classes. A few had a break or off period and were meandering to the Great Hall or library. Ron and Harry just managed to catch the proper staircase in time before it made its typical odd shift. They were both at a dead run when they rounded the last corner of the corridor.

“Weasel Weasley and poopy Potter!” Peeves sang, suddenly appearing at the corner. Ron and Harry slid and crashed over one another, spooked by the pest poltergeist. Ron’s bag poured onto the floor. Quills, a jar of ink, books and crinkled parchment tumbled along the marble floor. They scrambled the items back together, not even sparing a second to curse at Peeves, even though they wanted to. “Run run run for your lives, or you’ll be late!” Peeves carried on.

Just up another case of stairs and they could see the last of their classmates filing in. As soon as the door closes, they would be officially late. And for today’s class, no tardiness would be tolerated. Just as the door began to close, Ron managed an arm between the door and the jamb. If he hadn’t had so much adrenaline running through him he might have yelped at the pinch. Him and Harry squeezed by, knocking the door into their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Professor Severus Snape.

The rumor appeared to be true. He has finally landed the position he had sought for so long now.

Snape looked down his crooked nose and his normal frown deepened at the sight of the two of them, almost as if he were looking forward to handing out their detention. And probably penalizing the both of them with five point each away from house Gryffindor.

Ron and Harry had smug smiles on their faces as they took their seats near Hermione. “That was close,” she mouthed silently to them. Some of the class was snickering.

Harry had just then noticed a woman standing in the corner, studying each student. She wore black and emerald robes. Smooth dark red hair reached down to her waist.

“Attention!” Snape barked. His eyes brushed over the class. He seemed to enjoy soaking in the fear that some of their expressions betrayed. “It seems we have a had string of incompetence with our recent Defence Against the Dark Arts instructors. I assure you that ends today.” Snape began to slowly pace the room between the seated students. A curl came to his lips. “Upon my...second recommendation, Headmaster Dumbledore has chosen a successor. An extremely qualified and capable successor.”

Snape turned toward the woman in the corner. Snape was smiling now. “Student’s, welcome your new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, and house Slytherin alumnus. Professor Sueviel Bluboks.”

There was a smattering of applause from the Slytherin students. Ron noticed Draco Malfoy seemed particularly pleased. Neville Longbottom went white in the face. It was hard enough dealing with one Slytherin bully instructor in Snape’s potions class, but now a new instructor endorsed by Snape himself? It seemed like a nightmare.

So the rumors were not exactly true, Harry thought. But close enough it seemed.

Snape’s face turned grave again as he turned back to the class. His eyes found Ron and Harry. “I expect all of you to show Professor Bluboks the same respect and discipline that I demand in my class.” He turned again to his former classmate, Sueviel. Another smile flashed across his face. “The class is yours, Professor.”

“Thank you, Professor Snape,” Blubocks said, returning Snape’s smile. She saw him out the door and closed it behind him.

Most of the class was breathless. Their chests heavy with dread of what was to come. Hermione was no fan of Snape’s, nor would she be a female version of him, however she seemed rather indifferent. Just anxious for the day’s lesson.

Professor Bluboks stood in front of her desk. Her eyes were dark, but sparkled. She had a youthful features with the countenance of a mature experienced woman. “Whew!” she said, and gave a playful wipe of her brow with her hand. “He can be kind of an old plump, can’t he?”

The class wasn’t sure how to respond. 

“Ever since we were kids, it’s like he’s had a broom stick stuck--well...anyway,” she said.

There was laughter. The room seemed to breath a small bit of relief. Malfoy, however, looked stunned.

“In time I hope to get to know you all. I’m very excited to be your new professor. Of course the dark arts are a very serious subject, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of fun learning about it together.”

Ron, Harry, and Hermione smiled at each other. Was this possible? A Slytherin who is likeable and charming?

“Just a bit about me,” Bluboks said. “For the majority of my career I’ve worked with the Ministry of Magic, locating and archiving artifacts and scrolls related to wizards and witches who have been known to practice the dark arts.” The professor walked behind her desk and revealed a brown leather briefcase. “And with the blessing of the Ministry and Headmaster Dumbledore, I’ve brought a select choice of artifacts my colleagues and I have studied over the years to present to you.”

Bluboks snapped open the brass locks of the briefcase and from it pulled a brown stick of crooked old wood. It resembled some sort of long disjointed twig that had fallen off an ancient tree.

“This,” she said, holding the object gently at both ends, “is the dark wand of Count Dezeed.”

At the sight of it, Harry felt a little tingle at the scar of his forehead.

“That old bent junk is a wand?” Ron said.

Some of the class chuckled.

“Oh, yes,” said Bluboks. “Upon close study of it, there is evidence that it was once perfectly straight and balanced like the average wand, but the pure darkness that it had been used to conjure was so intense that it twisted the very physical form.”

“Who is Count Dezeed?” asked Dean Thomas.

Hermione had read a little about Count Dezeed. Her arm shot in the air. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the arm of another girl also raised. Quicker even that Hermione’s.

“Ah! Yes, you there, dear. What is your name?” said Bluboks.

“Maddy Murray, Ma’am,” the girl said. She was of house Grryffindor and had short dark hair with rectangle framed glasses.

Hermione looked disappointed, and a little shocked, that she wasn’t called on. 

“Count Dezeed was a powerful warlock who formed and lead the cult of the Blood Star,” Maddy continued. “The cult disbanded after Dezeed’s disappearance when a group of wizards learned he was abusing dark magic to manipulate his followers into crimes that would gain him political power.”

Bluboks was impressed. “Very good, Maddy,” She said. “A well researched answer. However, it wasn’t quite political power Dezeed was after. It was more than that. It was ultimate power. Power over everyone in the world.”

Maddy’s face dropped. “Stupid. I should have known that.”

“Nonsense, Maddy. There is much the average textbooks don’t mention about Count Dezeed.”

The professor walked slowly among the class showing off the dark wand. “For instance, the legend Dezeed’s influence, and his unique talent with magic. He preyed on not only the fears of his subjects, but their hopes. Their hopes for power. Wealth. Love. Infinite knowledge. Everlasting life. Several examples exist of his promises coming to fruition for his most loyal people. Even, most infamously, his power to restore loved ones from the dead. And all of his power was harnessed through this very wand. However, very little of his legend has been proven to be true.”

Restore your loved ones from the dead. That one really stuck out to Harry. Not a day went by where he thought about what he would do to have his parents back.

“He just disappeared?” asked Neville. He was completely absorbed into Blubok’s story.

“Some speculate that Count Dezeed was not a being of this world. That he came from a far away planet. And when the group of wizards came to expose him, he simply returned to the stars.”

As the Professor passed by Malfoy with the wand he said, “It just looks like a ruddy old piece of junk to me.” He moved his hand to snatch it from Bluboks, but the instructor was fast and moved before he could touch it.

“Ah-ah-ah, mister Malfoy,” Bluboks said. Even though she was new as a professor at Hogwarts, just about everyone knew the Malfoy family. “Young, emotional, impressionable minds are the ones most easily drawn and manipulated to Dezeed’s dark power. A touch, even a look, of this wand can ensnare a poor soul into sacrificing their whole being for the treasure of it’s false promises...or, perhaps, not as false as we may think.”

“Professor Bluboks,” said Hermione. “If even a look a look at the wand could manipulate our minds, why on earth would you bring it here?”

Bluboks laughed. “Wonderful question, miss…”

“Hermione Granger, Ma’am.”

“Hermione. As far as we can tell, that part is only legend. I can tell you, as I’m holding it now, I can feel the dark energy breathing inside of it.” Bluboks then flipped the wand into one hand and pointed it directly at Hermione’s face. The class gasped. “And for that reason, the wand was specially charmed so that while it’s here at Hogwarts, it’s practically useless.” She flipped it again and held it in the middle with two fingers. “Just a hunk of wood it might as well be for now. But you can never be too careful.”

“Do you personally believe any of the legends to be true, Professor?” said Harry. “Could that wand really...bring loved ones back to life?”

Bluboks turned and locked eyes with Harry. She didn’t ask his name. She was new at Hogwarts as a professor, but everyone knew Harry Potter. “I think, with the dark arts, anything is possible...but everything comes with a price.”

***

Harry noticed a gold twinkle zoom just past him in the opposite direction. He pulled up on his broom and pivoted to the opposite direction to follow it.

“On your left!” yelled Fred.

Harry heard his teammate’s call and didn’t even think, he just reacted. He tilted the broom down and right, his eyes still on the gold twinkle. A bludger whized just past his ear. Harry wavered in the air a bit, but regained his balance and kept moving.

“Here she comes again, Harry!” said George.

Harry heard the loud pop of the club against the bludger and again maneuvered to avoid it, but this time it clipped his foot and sent him into a spiral. His foot throbbed pretty good, but, again, Harry never lost his target. 

Harry loved every part of Hogwarts and the wizarding world, but the game of quidditch was undoubtedly his favorite part. 

Another pop of a club and Harry heard Fred yell something, but he couldn’t hear it. The gold twinkle took a ninety degree dive and Harry immediately followed. The twinkle came into clear view. The golden snitch. Harry reached out his arm. The grass of the quidditch pitch seemed to be rushing toward him. The flapping wing of the snitch grazed Harry’s finger. Another pop of a club. This time louder. Closer. For the first time Harry’s eyes left his prize and he turned to see a blur that was the bludger crash into him, sending him off his broom and rolling to the grass

Harry laid for a moment dizzy on the field. The golden snitch flew to him and hovered above him. For a moment, Harry swore there were two of them. The snitch finally came to a rest on Harry’s chest, and he just managed a hand to flop lazily over it. “Got it,” he groaned.

Fred and George Weasley flew down to harry.

“Gee, Harry, sorry about that,” said George.

“Just bloody kill him, won't you, George?” said Fred.

“I’ll try harder next time.”

Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell flew from the other side of the pitch. They had all been running drills that afternoon to prepare for their game against the Ravenclaw team. Harry, Fred, and George were working on sharpening Harry’s skill as a seeker while under intense pressure from the bludger.

“What did you two do?” Wood said, landing and throwing his broom down.

“What?” said George. “He got the snitch, didn’t he? 150 points!”

“We win!” said Fred.

“Idiots,” Wood said under his breath.

“Are you okay, Harry?” asked Katie.

Harry slowly got back to his feet. “I’ll live,” he said. “I’m told I’m known for that.”

“That’s enough for today,” Wood said. “Our time on the pitch is up anyway.”

On the other side of the pitch, the Ravenclaw team was already approaching. They had reserved the field next. This year’s Ravenclaw team was almost entirely new. 

“Oi, there, Wood,” said Daniel, the new Ravenclaw Captain.

“Oi, there, Dan,” said Wood.

The two shook hands. Unlike the Slytherin team, the Ravenclaw team had ethics of sportsmanship and fair competition. Wood and his team had much respect for Daniel’s new team.

“Hot catch, there, Harry,” said June, one of the the Ravenclaw beaters.

“Just a preview of what to expect for tomorrow’s match,” said George.

June laughed. “Yeah, Harry on his back after I clock him with the bludger.”

They all laughed at the friendly jab. 

“Boys, ladies,” said Daniel. “This is Cormac Grimp. Our new seeker. He just transferred in.”

The Gryffindor team all said hello. Cormac returned a curt nod.

“How are the quidditch teams where you’re from, Cormac?” asked Harry.

“Better than the ones here, I’m learning,” Cormac said. 

Cormac was tall and slim with dark skin and long braided hair. Harry was the only person he seemed to care to make eye contact with. And not just eye contact, he seemed to stare at Harry. Harry hadn’t noticed really. He was pretty used to being stared at by now. But he did notice Cormac’s standoffish attitude. Perhaps it was because he was new and still adjusting. Harry could certainly relate to that.

The teams exchanged goodbyes and team Gryffindor handed over the pitch. Harry looked back and saw Cormac still boring into him. He touched the scar on his forehead. It seemed to tingle a bit. Not a hard burn or throb like when You-Know-Who was around, but there was definitely an odd feeling with his scar.

***

Harry cleaned up and changed out of his quidditch robes back to his student work robes. He was to meet Ron and Hermione in the library to work on their homework together. On his way, he was greeted by jolly Nearly Headless Nick who was floating about with his head unhinged and upside down on top of his shoulder. A first year Hufflepuff saw this and suddenly looked sick. 

Harry also passed Ron’s sister, Ginny. “Hello, Ginny,” Harry said with a smile.

The girl’s face turned almost as red as her hair. Her mouth seemed to be paralyzed. She ran the opposite direction of Harry. Funny girl, Harry thought. He smirked to himself.

If the library were a pub, then Ron and Hermione were at their usual table. Off in the corner, quiet, great for more private discussions.

“Crassocious Expellius,” Ron whispered. He flicked his wand as he spoke the words. On the table in front of him, his pet rat, Scabbers, looked at him curiously.

“What are you doing?” Hermione asked. Her eyes never left the book sitting in front of her. She casually tapped the edge of the book with her wand to turn the pages.

Ron lifted his rat from the table. “I’m worried old scabbers is starting to get kinda fat,” he said. 

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Maybe if you didn’t feed him sweets and candy all the time, he wouldn’t gain so much weight.”

“Aw, I can’t do that to the little guy,” Ron said. “It’s our favorite hobby together. He loves it.”

Harry joined his friends at the table.

“Hey, Harry,” Ron said. “Heard George gave you a good wallop.”

“I’ve had worse,” Harry said. He rubbed at his scar again. He had a lingering fuzzing sensation to it, as if someone kept tickling it with a feather.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Harry?” Hermione asked. “Maybe we should go see Madam Pomfrey.”

“No, it’s not that. There’s a new student that just transferred in. He--”

“It’s not fair!” a voice shouted. It shook nearly everyone in the library.

Ron, Harry and Hermione wiped their heads around to see Maddy Murray in front of Irma Pince’s desk. She looked awfully distraught.

“Young lady!” Pince said in a harsh whisper that wasn’t really a whisper. “You will keep your voice down in this library!”

“You’ve got to let me in,” Maddy pleaded. “I’m going to fail! I need to study!”

“For the thirteenth time, no student is allowed in the restricted section without permission from a professor!” Pince said, still trying to maintain a whispery voice.

Professor Flitwick came around the corner to see what the shouting was all about. “Everyone alright here, ladies?” he said.

Maddy rushed to him. She bent down to get closer. “Professor, you’ve got let me into the restricted section! There’s so much I have to study for! I have to be ready!”

“Calm yourself, my dear,” Flitwick said sympathetically. “I assure you, everything you need to study is right here in the library proper available to everyone. Why, we wouldn’t test students on a subject they couldn’t study for.”

Maddy growled at Flitwick and turned away, stomping off. “I’m going to fail!” she shouted. “And it’s all your fault!”

Flitwick pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and patted his forehead. “My, my,” he said quietly to himself.

“Wow,” Ron said. “And I thought Hermione was obsessed with studying. Looks like you’ve got some competition for ‘nerd of the year.’”

Hermione looked at him sharply. “You’d do well to care more about your studies,” she said. “Then maybe you could actually manage a proper spell!”

Everyone in the library watched Maddy storm out. Harry noticed that Cormac, sweaty and still in his quidditch robes, had been just outside the archway and watched the hole thing as well. As soon as Maddy passed him, it looked like he followed right after her.

***

The next morning at breakfast, Ron, Harry, and Hermione enjoyed great helpings of scrambled eggs, sausages, and mugs of pumpkin juice. The Great Hall was buzzing with conversation and excitement for the day, especially the weekend’s quidditch match.

With a mouth full of sausages, Ron said, “What do you think her problem is?”

Harry and Hermione looked up and saw Professor Bluboks hastily walking toward to back of the hall where Dumbledore, Hagrid, Snape and the other professors and staff were eating and talking. Her expression was serious and grim. Dumbledore noticed her immediately and put up a hand to silence the other voices at the table. The Headmaster’s face fell in disappointment. Obviously, Ron, Harry, and Hermione couldn't hear what was said, but they could tell it was not good news.

Dumbledore stood from his seat and said, “Attention, students.” He spoke without raising his voice, yet his words still were loud and echoed across the room. Forks and mugs and laughter came to a halt, and everyone turned to listen. “All classes and activities are suspended immediately until further notice.” There was a mixture of cheers and groans, and Dumbledore raised his hand signaling silence. “Prefects, please escort your housemates back to the dormitories and wait there for further instructions.”

Everyone began to stir.

“Does this mean the match is off for tomorrow?” asked Angelina who was sitting a bit further down from Harry.

Wood flipped his plate of half eaten eggs. “Of course it does!” he said. “Everytime something goes wrong, the first thing they do is cancelled the quidditch matches! What’s the bloody point of all the practice then?”

Angelina watched him get up and stomp away.

The Gryffindor students all marched up the stair cases and through the halls to their tower, lead by Percy Weasley. “Come on, everyone,” Percy said. “No dragging your feet!”

Ron, Harry, and Hermione pushed their way through the other students to Percey. 

“Hey, Pers,” Ron said. “What’s this all about?”

“How should I know?” Percy said. “Come on, everyone! Keep up!”

At the portrait of the Fat Lady, Percy spoke the secret password, and everyone begin filing into the common room. Maddy was sitting alone by the fire with three books open on a table in front of her. It appeared as if she were somehow reading all three of them at once. She flinched at the sudden noise of the entire Gryffindor house suddenly packing the common room. Annoyed, and maybe a little frightened, she moved her books to a table and chair to the corner, hopefully to be left alone.

Ron noticed this and said, “Who would put books before breakfast? That’s insanity.”

Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over to Maddy. “Hi Maddy,” Hermione said. The girl flinched again, and she glared at Hermione. “I was wondering, maybe we could study together. I know what it’s like to get worked up over papers and exams. I think we could help each other.”

Maddy slammed all three of her books closed, collected them in her arms and stood up. “I don’t need simpletons holding me back or riding my coattails. Do your own studies!” Maddy rushed up the stairs to the girls dormitory.

Hermione walked back to Harry and Ron stunned. Ron had completely bust a gut and was nearly on the floor with laughter. “What did I say?” said Hermione. “Simpleton?” She said, now hurt and angry.

Ron slumped onto a couch and buried his face into a pillow to stifle his laughter.

A few hours went by. Most of the students were enjoying the extra time off from class, others looked bored to tears. Ron and Harry played a few rounds of wizard’s chess (Ron was still giggling over Maddy calling Hermione a simpleton). Hermione got a head start on a transfiguration paper due next week.

Everyone heard the Fat Lady portrait slide upen from the steps just below, and they all gathered around to see who it was. Dumbledore, Professor Mcgonagall, Professor Snape, and Professor Bluboks entered the common room.

“I apologize for the inconvenience to your studies, students,” Dumbledore said. “Unfortunately, there has been a theft. As you know, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, Professor Bluboks, has brought with her an artifact of the dark arts. The wand of Count Dezeed. The wand has gone missing. Even though precautions were take to keep it safe on school grounds, it is still a very dangerous instrument in the hands of someone not properly trained to defend against its dark power. So we are forced to do a thorough search other entire school until it is found. But that’s not all. Upon our search, Miss Pince discovered that a book from the restricted section of the library has also gone missing. These are not items to be toyed with or taken lightly. So for your own protection, we ask that you all remain here in the dormitory.”

There were more groans than cheers now. Perhaps the break in classes wasn’t worth being stuck in the dormitory for who-knows-how-long.

Professors Bluboks and Mcgonagall headed up to the girls rooms, while Snape and Dumbledore made for the boys rooms. Percy, feeling as Gryffindor prefect it was his duty to assist in discovering who committed such a dastardly crime, followed Snape and Dumbledore.

Ron, Harry, and, Hermione huddled together.

“It’s that breakfast missing loony bin, I bet,” Ron said. “We all saw how she freaked out when she couldn’t get into the restricted section yesterday. Now suddenly a book is missing. And that crazy wand.”

“The book makes sense,” Harry said. “But how could she have gotten in there. I barely got in and out with my invisibility cloak. I guess it’s not impossible that she has one too.”

“Someone like her probably wouldn’t need a cloak,” Hermione said. “Someone who studies that much and that hard is probably onto some advance spells and charms. I ought to know. (she had a bit of a smug smirk as she said that) The restricted section of the library is meant to keep out low level students. A proper wizard or witch could, likely, easily get in and out without being noticed.”

“But why steal the wand?” Harry said. “Maddy gets intense about her studies, sure, but she doesn’t strike me as someone wanting to steal dark magic.”

“I wonder if they’ve checked Malfoy’s room yet,” Ron added.

A moment later, Percy came down the stairs from the boys rooms. He said nothing, but gave Harry a dark look, and moved up to the girl’s rooms.

Dumbledore came halfway down the steps behind Percy. “Harry,” he said, gently. “Could you come up here, please?”

Ron and Hermione both looked at Harry confused. Harry himself was also quite confused. What did Dumbledore need him for? He followed the Headmaster up the stairs and into Harry and Ron’s room. A moment later, Mcgonagall, and Bluboks came through the door with Percy behind them. 

The trunk at the foot of Harry’s bed was open, and clearly dug through. Laying on his bed was a large dusty old book and the dark wand. 

Harry’s eyes widened behind his glasses.

“Please explain what these were doing in your trunk, Harry,” said Dumbledore.

Professor Mcgonagall made a quiet gasp. Snape crossed his arms and wore his usual scowl.

Harry swallowed hard. “I...I don’t know, Sir,” Harry said at last.

“They were found wrapped in this,” Snape said. He held out two fingers pinched together. Professor Blubox looked puzzled until Snape flicked his hand and the dark inner lining of the invisibility cloak could be seen.

“Someone must have got in and put them there,” said Harry. His chest was thumping and his face felt hot. “Honest, Sir, I know nothing about it.”

“Professor Snape, Professor Bluboks,” Dumbledore said. “Please collect the found items. I believe this is a conversation best held in my chambers.”

***

Dumbledore sat behind his large polished desk, surrounded by several magical trinkets and baubles. Harry sat across from him in a little wooden chair. Snape, Mcgonagall, and Bluboks were on either side of Harry. Dumbledore’s pet phoenix, Fawkes, stirred on his perch in the corner.

“I was with Ron and Hermione all night last night and all this morning,” Harry said. “They’ll tell you themselves, I never snuck off to steal anything.”

“Well they certainly wouldn't see you doing it, would they, Potter?” Snape said. He had a small smile to his lips. He was loving this. “Not with that invisibility cloak of yours. Contraband like that should be enough to get you expelled.”

“It’s not contraband, Severus,” Dumbledore said. “I gave that to Harry myself.”

Snape’s mouth was agape. “And clearly Potter has been going wherever and whenever he pleases, sneaking around the school after hours, and stealing,” he said. “It should be confiscated and burned.”

“I’m not convinced Harry did anything just yet,” Dumbledore said.

“Headmaster, the evidence is clear!” Snape said.

“Evidence is not proof.” Dumbledore gave Snape a look, and Snape gave up -- for now. “Now, Harry,” he said. “Explain again why we would find these stolen objects in your trunk?”

Harry looked at the old book and the crooked wand.

“Someone else must have went in my room and put them there,” Harry said.

“And who would do that?” asked Mcgonagall.

“I don’t know,” Harry said. “Honest, I don’t know anything about it.”

Bluboks carefully picked up the wand to examine it closer.

Snape now leaned against a bookcase in the corner. “Terribly convenient that the moment the wand of Count Dezeed arrives at Hogwarts -- a wand know for dark magic such as bringing loved ones back from the dead -- is suddenly stolen and found in possession of the boy whose parents were famously murdered.”

Harry gave Snape a hard look. 

Snape returned it equally.

“Something’s not right,” said Bluboks. All eyes turned to her. “Before, just by merely holding the wand, I could feel the dark energy flowing through. But now I can’t feel anything. Like it’s been drained of its power. Empty.”

Snape rushed to the desk and opened the book. Bluboks knew exactly what Snape was thinking. Why didn’t they notice it before? The stolen book was a collection of various spells and incantations. Some of which were written before they were considered to be dangerous and classified as dark magic.

Harry watched Snape frantically turn through sections of the book, every so often noticing that chunks of pages were missing.

“What is it?” Mcgonagall asked.

Snape and Bluboks looked at each. “The missing pages in this book,” Snape said, turning to Dumbledore, “are all dark spells created or perfected by Count Dezeed.”

“Who ever stole those pages could have transferred the power from the wand to something else,” said Bluboks. “Another wand, or some other simple iteam. A ring, a quill. And something that doesn’t have the safety charms cast to it like this one did.”

“So tell us, Potter,” Snape said, turning to Harry. “Where is it? The pages, the item you transformed the dark power to.”

Harry had gotten seriously tired of Snape’s accusations and was about to say something nasty about it, but Dumbledore interrupted: “I think whoever was after the Dezeed spells and wand took what they wanted, and left Harry with the leftovers, if you will, to take the blame for the crime. It’s no secret about the tragic fate of Harry’s parents. And knowing what Dezeed’s magic can do, I think it’s an easy conclusion to draw.

“On more than one occasion has this school, it’s students, and it’s staff, owed Harry some gratitude for combating certain dark arts that would see us all dead.”

Snape shifted uncomfortably.

“And I, personally,” Dumbledore continued, “do not believe that Harry is of the character to go about stealing and manipulating a dangerous craft he doesn’t understand.”

Mcgonagall smiled and looked at Harry. “I think I can agree with that,” she said.

Harry smiled back. A wave of relief fell over him.

“Now, Harry,” Dumbledore said. “The professors and I have much to discuss. You may return to your dormitory.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Harry said. He rose from his chair and stood in front of Snape, who was still holding tightly to the invisible cloak. Dumbledore cleared his throat, and looked sternly at Snape.

Snape held out the cloak for Harry to take, but when Harry grabbed it, Snape yanked at it and pulled Harry closer. “I would be very very careful if I were you, Potter.”

Snape let go of the cloak, and Harry left quickly. He was relieved to be out of that room. He was angry, and not just at Snape for his accusations and bringing up his parents, but angry at whoever tried to frame him.

***

When Harry walked through the portrait and into the common room, everyone was surprised to see him.

“We thought for sure you were on your way to Hogsmeade Station and gone,” Said George.

“Expelled, even!” followed Fred.

Harry told everyone what had happened. The missing pages, the now dud of a dark wand, and that Mcgonagall and Dumbledore both agree it was a frame up job (though, he left out the part about the invisible cloak. Now that Snape and other teachers, beside Dumbledore and Hagrid, know about it, he’ll have to be extra careful using it to sneak around the grounds.)

“Did they say anything about if quidditch was back on?” asked Wood.

“They didn’t. Sorry, Wood,” Harry said.

Wood let out a long sigh and collapsed back into a chair.

The room went abuzz with chatter. Ron and Hermione pulled Harry aside.

“They let you off, just like that?” Ron asked.

“I can’t quite believe it myself,” Harry said.

“I mean, it makes sense,” Hermione said. “Anyone who really knows Harry knows he wouldn’t do something like that. Dumbledore and McGonagall aren’t stupid enough to fall for such a dirty trick.”

“There is one problem,” Harry said. He looked to make sure no one was really watching them, and reached under his robes and then held out his hand. His fingers looked clutched to the thin air. “They know about this now.”

Ron knew immediately what Harry meant, and rubbed his fingers over Harry’s hand to confirm. “They know about the invisibility cloak?”

“Worst of all, Snape knows about it. The wand and book were wrapped up inside of it.”

“But only us, Dumbledore, and Hagrid knew you had it,” Hermione said. “Who else knows about it enough to hid those things with it?”

“That’s a great question,” Harry said.

***

Later that evening, Professor McGonagall returned to the Gryffindor common room and announced that the next day’s classes would resume as scheduled, however, extracurricular activities were still on hold, and a strict curfew would be in place as the investigation into the theft of the wand and missing book pages continued.

During and after breakfast the next morning, Hermione had her nose in a Defense Against the Dark Arts book. Professor Bluboks had assigned them to read the chapter on the effects of and counterspells to wolverine hair hexes. In typical Hermione fashion, she had read the chapter several times already and was preparing for the next lesson.

Hermione gasped. “This is awful!” she said.

“What is it,” Harry asked.

“There is cure that can be delivered by owls. After the curse is delivered, the owl dies!”

“What a fowl thing to do,” Ron said.

Harry and Hermione were mid eye roll when Malfoy and his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, shoved there way past the trio, bumping their shoulders hard. Hermione’s book was knocked from her hands.

“Must say, fellas. Hogwarts’s standards are really starting to drop,” Malfoy said. “Ridiculous that a thief like Potter isn’t kicked out immediately. Of course, old man Dumbledore is finally off his rocker. Just wait until my father hears of this.”

“Shut up, Malfoy,” Ron said. “I’d bet 100 galleons that you were behind the whole thing.”

Malfoy laughed. “Don’t kid yourself, Weasley. You’re family has never even seen that many galleons.”

Ron took a step toward Malfoy--

“Sepratriticus,” a voice said.

Ron, Harry, Hermione, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle all suddenly stumbled to their lefts and rights.

Maddy walked between them, her wand held erect in front of her. Other students were turning in shock at the sight of her. Her short black hair now had a long dark purple streak hanging to the side of her face. As she passed by she stepped on Hermione’s book, her heel tearing a page from it.

“Hey!” Hermione said.

“Idiots,” Maddy said, not bothering to look at them as she walked into class.

Harry rubbed at the scar on his forehead. It had that funny tickling sensation again.

Professor Bluboks appeared at the door of the classroom. “Class starts in 10 seconds, children. Don’t be late.”

Everyone filed in and took their seats.

“Alright, class,” Bluboks began. “I trust you all did your reading for today. Now who can tell me the first sign of a wolverine hair hex?”

Hermione’s arm shot up, but before Bluboks could call on her, Maddy spoke. “Green zits on the finger and toe nails,” she said.

Bluboks shifted her eyes. “Correct, Maddy. And--

“Followed by lesions of the eye whites, and sneezing mold,” Maddy continued. “The Hex is broken when the victim whispers a secret to a black cat. Professor Bluboks, is your class going to always be this boring?”

Bluboks laughed softly and leaned against the front of her desk. “Maddy, I appreciate you studying so diligently, but perhaps we should give the rest of the class a chance to learn at a more steady pace.”

“I didn’t come to Hogwarts to be held back by a bunch of amateurs. I came here to learn from the best wizards and witches in the country. And what happened to our lessons on Count Dezeed?”

“Well, consider this your first lesson of any wizard or witch’s most valuable attribute,” Bluboks said. “Patience. And, given the circumstances around the recent theft, Headmaster Dumbledore and I have decided it would be best to postpone that subject.”

Maddy groaned loudly and laid her head in her hand.

“Just the other day she was in the library freaking out about getting behind,” Ron whispered.

“And now she acts like she should be teaching the class,” Hermione whispered back.

“She seems rather anxious to learn more about Dezeed,” Harry whispered. “Perhaps she did steal those pages, but they weren’t quite enough for her.”

“And with the restricted section locked down, she can’t go back for any seconds,” whispered Ron.

“But they searched the whole school looking for those pages. Twice,” Hermione whispered.

“They didn’t search the students themselves,” Harry whispered. “She could have been hiding them in her robes.”

Ron and Harry looked at Hermione.

“What?”

“You’ve got to get close to her,” Harry whispered. “She always studies in private, right? Ron and I can’t exactly walk up to the girls dorm without looking suspicious.”

“Or looking like perverts,” Ron whispered.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Say you need some help studying. That you’re having trouble with the lesson,” Harry whispered.

Hermione made a face. “What? No! I’m not going to little miss know-it-all like I actually need her help!”

“Did you actually just call someone else a know-it-all?” Ron whispered.

“Shut up!”

“Hermione, you’ve got to try,” Harry whispered. “Every student will be trapped in their common rooms until those pages turn up. Not to mention, if she is using those pages to teach herself dark magic, she could end up hurting herself and other kids.”

Hermione shook her head and sighed. “Fine...I’ll try.”

***

Oliver Wood was still frustrated that the quidditch match against Ravenclaw was cancelled. With the curfew and activity restrictions in place, the Gryffindor team couldn't head out to the pitch for their regular practice sessions. But that didn’t keep the Captain from going over strategies and plays with the others. 

There were only a few hours between the last class and then dinner in the Great Hall before everyone was to go directly to their house towers. And Wood used every minute of it he could, but he knew it was time to wrap up when Fred and George’s attention was more on cracking jokes than the chalkboard. 

The gang headed toward the Great Hall for their meal. Harry hoped to catch Hagrid also on his way to the Hall before he got too far away from his cabin. Last week he mentioned he was drying out some criturelles skin that would be great for some added grib to his broom.

Harry’s scar suddenly got a fuzzy feeling again.

“Harry,” a voice called out. 

Harry turned and saw Cormac, the new Ravenclaw seeker, walking toward him. Something is definitely up with this guy, Harry thought. Only Voldemort had ever been the one to irritate his scar before. This is the second time he had been around Cormac and again he got that tickle on his head.

Reluctantly, Harry slowed his pace to let Cormac catch up. “Hello, Cormac.”

“Hi, Harry,” Cormac said. He seemed to stir in his robes, searching for his words. “I know this is...unusual, what I’m about to ask.”

Harry steeled himself at those words.

“I’ve never played seeker before,” Cormac said. “From what I hear, you have a pretty great record as a seeker. I know I’m part of a rival team, but I hoped you might give a newbie some tips.”

Harry laughed nervously. He suddenly felt relieved. “Sure, no problem,” Harry said. The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw teams had a great relationship based on respect and sportsmanship, so Harry didn’t mind. He was even a little flattered. 

“Great,” Cormac said, smiling. “Perhaps we can meet in the library after classes tomorrow?”

“Sounds good,” Harry said.

“Thanks, again,” Cormac said. “See you then.” And he was off to the Great Hall.

***

Hermione had been known to put in plenty of extra hours studying, but it was rare that she would ever miss a meal over it. Most of the time she had a book in front of her while she ate anyway, so doing both was no problem. Maddy, however, could seeming function on one meal a day, if not every other day. Hermione admired the dedication, but she also loved a good lamb pie and cinnamon cider.

Maddy was nowhere to be found in the Great Hall that evening, so Hermione figured she was having a private study session back at Gryffindor tower. She cut short her dinner and went straight to the common room. It was empty when she came through the painting, so Maddy must have been up in her dormitory.

Hermione walked the stairs and stood in front of the room that she knew was Maddy’s. She swallowed her pride -- and swallowed it hard -- then she knocked on the door.

On the other side, Hermione could hear a muffled curse word, followed by some shuffling, but no answer. She knocked again, and it was quiet. If Maddy was in there, she wasn’t going to invite anyone in. So Hermione let herself in.

“Excuse me!” Maddy said, when Hermione opened the door. She was sitting on her bed, a book open in front of her. Other books and papers were scattered around. Her robe layed spread out at the foot of the bed.

“Oh, sorry,” Hermione said. She fixed a plastic smile on her face. “I thought I heard someone say come in.”

“Well, you didn’t, now leave!”

“Hey, Maddy,” Hermione said, walking slowly toward the bed. Her eyes were shifting at all the books and papers scattered around, searching for any old looking or torn pages. “I was wondering if you could--” Hermione choked “--help me a bit with my studies.”

“Hermione, I don’t have time to drag others behind me. Find someone else.”

Hermione blurt laughed out loud. She tried hard to keep fixed smile. “Okay sure,” she said. She walked around the other side of the bed to get a look, but nothing looked out or out of place. “By the way, I love what you’ve done with your hair.” Hermione sit at the foot of the bed and theard the crunch of paper from underneath the robe.

Maddy and Hermione locked eyes. Maddy seemed like she had stopped breathing for a moment.

Hermione got up and grabbed the robe. “Oh, Maddy, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sit on--”

“Wait--just, hold on,” Maddy said. She crawled across the bed and snatched the papers from underneath the robe.

Hermione’s smile was genuine this time. She only saw them for a second before Maddy snatched them away, but sure enough, there they were. The stolen pages. 

Maddy turned her back to Hermione and started folding over the pages and stuffing them into her book bag.

“Is everything alright?” Hermione said.

Before Maddy could say anything, some girls walked into the room chatting. Dinner must have just let out. Maddy grabbed her robe and her bag and walked out. Hermione followed of course.

The common room was filling up with full Gryffindor bellies. Maddy was walking very quickly. Hermione kept having to push through shoulders to catch up. She saw Ron and Harry and dashed over to them.

“She’s got the pages,” Hermione said. “She taking off with them now.” They could see her going against the tide of students toward the Fat Lady painting.

“We’ve got to follow her,” Harry said. 

“What about the curfew?” said Hermione.

“We have to get those pages back,” Ron said. “If I’m stuck in this common room for much longer, I’m gonna crack.”

“I’m going after her,” Harry said.

Ron and Hermione were right behind him.

They pushed their way through the opening. Maddy had just rushed down a flight of stairs and was turning down a hallway.

“Where do you think you’re off too,” Percy said. Ron’s Prefect brother had just come around the corner. “Curfew is on. Back inside you three.”

“We were just looking for you, Percy,” Ron said. “Fred and George smuggled in a few bottles of troll rum. Looks like it might get a little loose in there tonight.”

“Oh have they now!” Percy said. “Well have I got a reality check for those two!”

Percy marched through the painting.

“Brilliant, Ron,” Harry said.

The three of them rushed down the stair cast to Maddy’s direction, but half way it started to rotate. 

“Damn,” Harry said.

“We’re going to lose her,” Ron said.

“Let’s just go straight to Professor McGonagall,” Hermione said.

Harry was determined. “We need proof.”

Finally, the staircase stopped and they leap off, hoping they weren’t too far behind.

They turned a corner down a long hallway and stopped dead in there tracks.  
Standing at the other end of the hallway was a dark cloaked figure. It wore a hood, and the shadow of it absorbed every feature of its face as if there were nothing underneath but pure darkness. On its black chest was the form of a star painted in red.

“Well that’s right odd,” Ron said.

The dark figure started walking toward the three. Ron, Harry, and Hermione didn’t move. They had no idea what what they were looking at.

With a wave of its gloved hand, the dark figure conjured a wand, and it pointed it at them. The air got suddenly hot.

“Get back!” Hermione shouted.

The three of them stumbled and fell back around the corner. A bolt struck the edge of the wall and exploded, peppering them with shattered stone. They moved to go back up the stairs they came, but the staircase had already shifted.

Just below them, another staircase settled into place, and they ran down it.

Another bolt whizzed by them and crashed into the wall. The cloaked figure was on their heels. Whatever was after them was after blood.

“Around the next corner!” Harry said, pointing. “Get your wands ready!”

They turned down another hallway. Their shoes slid across the floor as they came to a halt. They drew their wands and pointed them, waiting for the cloaked attacker. 

The dark form appeared. His pace toward them was quickening.

They all shouted at once. “Expelliarmus!”

Their wands shot a bolt at the pursuer, but the figure swatted them away with a flick of his wand, never dropping his pace.

“Um..” Harry said.

“What do we do now?” Ron said.

“Run!” Hermione said.

The three turned and ran again, another bolt narrowly missed them. Before they could round the next corner, Professor Snape emerged. His face was rigid. He pointed his wand.

The three students instinctively dropped to the floor.

“Sectumsempra!” Snape shouted. 

Ron, Harry, and Hermione could feel the power of the bolt as it passed over their heads.

The spell collided with the cloaked figure, and it was pushed to the floor. It scrambled back to its feet. 

Snape raised his wand again.

Before another shot could be fired, the figure crouched down and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Snape’s looked down curiously at the three students on the floor. “Detention,” he said.

***

Harry found himself back in Dumbledore’s office, again with Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Bluboks, though this time Ron and Hermione got to share the grilling.

“What on earth were you three doing outside the common room?” McGonagall said. “We have a curfew in place for a reason!”

Ron, Harry, and Hermione’s eyes were looking at the floor, afraid to look up.

“The attacker,” Snape said. “Wore a hood. I didn’t get a look at his face.”

“And you say he had a red star on his chest?” said Bluboks.

“Yes,” Snape said.

“This is...troubling,” Bluboks said.

“I want an answer,” McGonagall said to her students.

Hermione spoke first. “I found the stolen pages.”

The teachers stiffened.

“Maddy Murray has them. I saw them,” Hermione said. “We were following her--”

“And then that bloody thing showed up,” Ron said. “I bet she used some dark magic to become that thing and attack us.”

Just then, the door to Dumbledore’s chambers opened. Mrs. Norris rushed in. Following her was Maddy, and then Filtch who had a twisted smile.

“Found a stray,” Filtch said.

“Well, well,” McGonagall said. “Isn’t this convientiant. Are you alright, Maddy?”

“Fine,” Maddy said. She plopped down in a chair and folded her arms.

“Did you encounter any murderous ghouls while roaming the halls past curfew?”

“No,” Maddy said curiously.

Dumbledore looked at Hermione. Hermione’s eyes went wide when she noticed the headmaster was looking at her. “Hermione, these are very serious accusations you’re making against Maddy.”

Maddy looked at Hermione. She instantly knew what Hermione had told them.

“Maddy,” Dumbledore continued. “Do you have pages torn from a book stolen from the restricted section of the library?”

Maddy stirred in her chair. Her eyes were furious at Hermione. Everyone waited for her to speak. Her face slowly dropped. Her mouth frowned. Her eyes gave tears, and she broke down.

“I’m sorry,” she wept. “Please don’t expel me.”

“Where are the pages, Maddy?” Dumbledore said.

Maddy reached into her robes and pulled out a crumbled roll of papers. She dropped them on Dumbledore’s desk. Bluboks and Snape picked them up and inspected them.

“Maddy, why did you steal the book and the wand?” Dumbledore asked.

“I didn’t steal them,” Maddy said. “They were given to me. I was afraid I was going to fail my classes and be kicked out,” Maddy said, wiping away tears. “Someone told me if I helped make it look like Harry stole the book and the wand and got him expelled, then they would help me do better. They told me what chapters in the book to look for, so I took them.”

“Who asked you to do this?” Dumbledore asked.

“I...I don’t know,” Maddy said. “I never saw their face.”

“You put the book and the wand in my trunk?” Harry said.

“Yes,” Maddy said.

“How did you know about the invisible cloak?” Hermione asked.

“I didn’t. I just found it when I opened Harry’s trunk. I thought if I wrapped them in that then no one would find them. I didn’t really want you to get expelled, Harry. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. But I already had what I wanted. And I was so obsessed. I’m sorry.”

“Why do they want me expelled?”

“I don’t know,” Maddy said. “I didn’t care. Ever since Professor Bluboks’s first class I’ve been so worried about failing.”

“Headmster Dumbledore. I’m afraid this is my fault,” Bluboks said. “I knew the risk of bringing the dark wand to Hogwarts, and the possible influence it could take on the children. I’m afraid Maddy may have fell to some temptation of its power. More frightening, there appears to be a sect of someones who know how to manipulate these students’ feelings.”

“We all knew the risk,” Dumbledore said. “It seems the precautions we took weren’t enough. I am to blame as much as anyone.”

“The cloaked figure Professor Snape describes matches the description of a member of the Blood Star cult,” Bluboks said. 

“The followers of Count Dezeed,” Dumbledore said.

“Yes, sir. We have a very serious situation on our hands. If the Blood Star cult is indeed alive and at Hogwarts, then their goal is likely to steal and revive the dark magic of Count Dezeed.”

“But what does that have to do with Harry?” Ron said. “Why try to get him expelled?”

Harry rubbed the scar on his head. “I’ve been getting this...feeling,” he said. “Whenever I had been around Vold-- You-Know-Who -- my scar would burn. Lately, it’s not as intense as that, but it’s noticeable.”

“Do you recall each time you got this feeling on your scar?” Bluboks asked.

“It started with the dark wand. Then once when Maddy was around. And then when another student has been around. A new student.”

“Who?”

Harry felt guilty saying. “His name is Cormac. He’s the new seeker on the Ravenclaw team.”

“I see,” Dumbledore said grimly.

“I wonder if the scar on your head, Harry, is an indicator of any presence of dark magic. Not just You-Know-Who’s presence,” said Bluboks.

“Has Cormac shown any aggression toward you, Harry?” said Dumbledore. “Any cause for suspicion?”

“Just the opposite, really. We were to meet tomorrow in the library. Seemed like he wanted to be friends.”

“Professor McGonagall,” Dumbledore said. “If you would please escort your students back to their tower please. Professor Snape, if you would please join them in case any other...characters should appear.”

McGonagall noded.

“Certainly, Headmaster,” Snape said.

“Until this matter is resolved, all students are to be seen to their classes with a teacher. All extra activities will remain postponed. And Harry,” Dumbledore said. “It appears that someone would see you gone from Hogwarts. Or, worse yet, dead. It would be wise to think twice before going on any late night strolls through the halls.” Finally, he stood from behind his desk, and looked to Bluboks. “Professor, if you will join me, I’d like to ask Cormac Murray question for two.”

***

As breakfast began the next morning, the story was starting to get around, and it wasn’t just over Ron, Harry, and Hermione’s attacker. 

The Ravenclaw table was bustling. Dan, and his quidditch team, however, looked sullen as they ate their eggs and porridge. According to what Dan told Wood, Professor Bluboks and Dumbledore appeared at Ravenclaw tower to see Cormac. The three of them and Filius Flitwick spoke privately in Cormac’s dorm, when a short time later, a series of explosions broke out. Apparently, a set of suspicious robes had been found in Cormac’s possession and no one could could account for his whereabouts for the last hour. When Professor Bluboks noticed the dark magic radiating from the robes, Cormac attacked the teachers. The battle was brief. Cormac was outnumbered, but the power of the dark magic he controlled could have easily been formable for any one of the teachers. Even Dumbledore.

The rogue student was quickly hauled off campus to be picked up by the Ministry shortly.

“We’re done,” said Dan. “I failed all of Ravenclaw. It was up to me to build a new team. As soon as I do I recruit a psychopath.”

“That Cho Chang is pretty good on a broom,” Katie said.

Overnight, Hogwarts had gone relatively back to normal. Activities and classes were back on. The curfew was lifted. Quidditch was back on (even though Ravenclaw’s team was in a bit of a mess). None of the students really knew the details on what Cormac’s mission at Hogwarts was; the details seemed to be need-to-know, and Harry kinda felt like he oughta-know since he was a target in this plot. The only thing Ron, Harry, and Hermione could gather was that Cormac was a member of the Blood Star cult and was after the power in Count Dezeed’s wand. The other details, or how it involved Harry was all still a mystery. The biggest shock to the teachers, especially Professor Bluboks, was that any part of the Blood Star cult still existed.

That very night Wood had an hour on the pitch reserved, and everyone on the team was excited to be back on a broom again. After their normal drills, they enjoyed just tossing the quaffle back and forth. It was dark, and nobody had the pitch reserved after them, so Madam Hooch let them have it as long as they turned in before it got too late.

Fred was balancing himself on his broom with one foot when large cold gust of wind blew through. Everyone wavered and rocked on their brooms in the air. Fred completely lost his balance, but Angelina caught him before he took a dive to the grass.

A crack of thunder split the air. Everyone winced at the sound of it.

“That’s weird,” Wood said. “We’re supposed to have clear skies for the next week. Alright, team, lets--”

“Ugh...you guys,” Katie said. She was pointing toward the ground. “What the bloody hell is that?”

Down on the grass stood a massive dark cloaked figure. It’s face was hidden. Its cape flapped sharply in the heavy wind. A crimson star shape was splashed across its chest. It held out it’s hand and it was struck by a bolt of lighting that the figure somehow seemed to grab and hold in place. The bolt cooled and in its place stood a large broom. Its was black as the night sky, and it’s handle jagged and twisted.

With a great leap, the figure hopped onto the dark broom, and shot like a rocket toward the team.

Harry recognized the robes immediately. A member of the Blood Star cult. His scar went hot. He could tell they were in danger. “Run!” he shouted.

The team scattered. Everyone took off in a separate direction. When Harry looked behind him, he saw the cultist was almost at his heels. With one hand, the figure conjured a wand, and shot a bolt. Harry turned his head to his front again and willed his broom to go faster. He felt a hot light explode behind him. Everything suddenly went dark.

END 

***

BONUS SCENE

Scabbers had come to learn every hole and crack in the walls of Hogwarts. There was no part of the school off limits to the rat that he was aware of. On this night his nose guided him to an eerie scent coming from the dungeons, near the potions lab.

Scabbers squeezed his fat belly through a crack to a room filled with bottles and beakers of different colors. Smoke and steam filled the room. At the other end was Severus Snape working diligently in front of a cauldron. 

Scabbers followed a narrow ledge along the middle of the wall to a table covered with odd ingredients. Particularly, the pepper stewed ox livers is what caught Scabbers’ attention. Mouth watering, Scabbers headed straight for them.

Snape abruptly turned and walked toward the table of ingredients. Scabbers, halted and shifted direction along the ledge to a spot behind a bookcase. He struggled for a moment to fit in the hiding place.

Snape grabbed a fist full of the minced ox livers, sniffed them, judged the weight of them in his palm, letting some fall from his fingers, and turned back to his cauldron. 

As soon as Snape turned his back, Scabbers moved himself out from behind the bookcase. In doing so, he rocked it slightly and sent a book falling to the floor.

Snape turned on his heels at the noise and saw the book laying on the floor. He stood as still as a statue for a moment, his ears perked and his eyes shifting. Without looking at it, he flicked his fist of ox livers at the cauldron. The bits hissed as they touched the concoction. 

Snape walked to the fallen book, picked it up and replaced it. He looked around the room again.

Scabbers turned to go the opposite direction to avoid Snape’s eyes. The Ox livers had his mouth salivating. When he squeezed around another table, it sent another glass tube to the floor, shattering it.

Snape lept toward the table, grasping at thin air. His mouth curled to a smile. “I know you’re there, Potter,” he said. “You think with that damn cloak you can treat this establishment as your own playground.” He rushed to the door, blocking the only exit. His senses again perked and looking for any odd movement.

On his way to the ingredient table, Scabbers met a gap in the ledge. He stumbled and his butt and hit Snape’s busy cauldron he was working with. Scabbers recovered, and moved along the wall.

The cauldron swayed. Snape saw it and immediately dived toward it. He expected to trap an invisible Harry Potter, but instead his hands found nothing at all and he crashed into his work table. His cauldron upturned and covered him with goop.

The door opened and Sueviel Bluboks stuck her head in. She saw Snape on the floor. “Everything alright, Severus?” she said.

Snape’s pale face burned. “Just fine, Sueviel,” he said with a smile.

Bluboks looked at him curiously, and closed the door.

Snape groaned and shook his wet hands.

Scabbers hurried through a nearby hole with a jaw full of ox livers.

 

 

ver the covers of his four post bed. His hand gropped between the sheets. Nothing. Under the bed perhaps? He dropped down to take a fourth look. No, still not there. “Where could it have gone?” Harry said. Harry and Ron had ran back to their room at the Gryffindor dormitory after their transfiguration class when Harry noticed he was missing his next class’s text, The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, and he knew today was not a day to forget it, or be late for class for that matter. The Defense Against the Dark Arts class had a big change starting today.

Ron flipped open the trunk at the foot of Harry’s bed. “You’re sure it’s not in here?” Ron asked. He dug through Harry’s other books, some spare socks and drawers, a few empty chocolate frog wrappers, but no Dark Arts book.

“I’ve already checked three times. Perhaps it ended up in your trunk somehow?”

Ron sighed and dropped the items back in Harry trunk and felt his finger touch something silky. Something silky that wasn’t there. He grabbed at the silky nothing with all five fingers and ripped it back. From it spilled a number of books and trinkets, including the lost Dark Arts book. “Found it!” Ron said.

Harry looked up, shocked. He noticed Ron’s right hand had suddenly gone missing. With his left hand he grabbed the text and tossed it on Harry’s bed. 

“It was under your invisibility cloak,” Ron said. He threw the cloak back in the trunk -- his hand suddenly reappeared -- and he closed the trunk.

Harry let out a long breath and rolled his eyes. “For bloody--”  
“Come on! Before we get detention!” Ron said, running for the stairs. Harry was right behind him, book in hand. 

The halls of Hogwarts were mostly empty. Students had already packed into their classes. A few had a break or off period and were meandering to the Great Hall or library. Ron and Harry just managed to catch the proper staircase in time before it made its typical odd shift. They were both at a dead run when they rounded the last corner of the corridor.

“Weasel Weasley and poopy Potter!” Peeves sang, suddenly appearing at the corner. Ron and Harry slid and crashed over one another, spooked by the pest poltergeist. Ron’s bag poured onto the floor. Quills, a jar of ink, books and crinkled parchment tumbled along the marble floor. They scrambled the items back together, not even sparing a second to curse at Peeves, even though they wanted to. “Run run run for your lives, or you’ll be late!” Peeves carried on.

Just up another case of stairs and they could see the last of their classmates filing in. As soon as the door closes, they would be officially late. And for today’s class, no tardiness would be tolerated. Just as the door began to close, Ron managed an arm between the door and the jamb. If he hadn’t had so much adrenaline running through him he might have yelped at the pinch. Him and Harry squeezed by, knocking the door into their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Professor Severus Snape.

The rumor appeared to be true. He has finally landed the position he had sought for so long now.

Snape looked down his crooked nose and his normal frown deepened at the sight of the two of them, almost as if he were looking forward to handing out their detention. And probably penalizing the both of them with five point each away from house Gryffindor.

Ron and Harry had smug smiles on their faces as they took their seats near Hermione. “That was close,” she mouthed silently to them. Some of the class was snickering.

Harry had just then noticed a woman standing in the corner, studying each student. She wore black and emerald robes. Smooth dark red hair reached down to her waist.

“Attention!” Snape barked. His eyes brushed over the class. He seemed to enjoy soaking in the fear that some of their expressions betrayed. “It seems we have a had string of incompetence with our recent Defence Against the Dark Arts instructors. I assure you that ends today.” Snape began to slowly pace the room between the seated students. A curl came to his lips. “Upon my...second recommendation, Headmaster Dumbledore has chosen a successor. An extremely qualified and capable successor.”

Snape turned toward the woman in the corner. Snape was smiling now. “Student’s, welcome your new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, and house Slytherin alumnus. Professor Sueviel Bluboks.”

There was a smattering of applause from the Slytherin students. Ron noticed Draco Malfoy seemed particularly pleased. Neville Longbottom went white in the face. It was hard enough dealing with one Slytherin bully instructor in Snape’s potions class, but now a new instructor endorsed by Snape himself? It seemed like a nightmare.

So the rumors were not exactly true, Harry thought. But close enough it seemed.

Snape’s face turned grave again as he turned back to the class. His eyes found Ron and Harry. “I expect all of you to show Professor Bluboks the same respect and discipline that I demand in my class.” He turned again to his former classmate, Sueviel. Another smile flashed across his face. “The class is yours, Professor.”

“Thank you, Professor Snape,” Blubocks said, returning Snape’s smile. She saw him out the door and closed it behind him.

Most of the class was breathless. Their chests heavy with dread of what was to come. Hermione was no fan of Snape’s, nor would she be a female version of him, however she seemed rather indifferent. Just anxious for the day’s lesson.

Professor Bluboks stood in front of her desk. Her eyes were dark, but sparkled. She had a youthful features with the countenance of a mature experienced woman. “Whew!” she said, and gave a playful wipe of her brow with her hand. “He can be kind of an old plump, can’t he?”

The class wasn’t sure how to respond. 

“Ever since we were kids, it’s like he’s had a broom stick stuck--well...anyway,” she said.

There was laughter. The room seemed to breath a small bit of relief. Malfoy, however, looked stunned.

“In time I hope to get to know you all. I’m very excited to be your new professor. Of course the dark arts are a very serious subject, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of fun learning about it together.”

Ron, Harry, and Hermione smiled at each other. Was this possible? A Slytherin who is likeable and charming?

“Just a bit about me,” Bluboks said. “For the majority of my career I’ve worked with the Ministry of Magic, locating and archiving artifacts and scrolls related to wizards and witches who have been known to practice the dark arts.” The professor walked behind her desk and revealed a brown leather briefcase. “And with the blessing of the Ministry and Headmaster Dumbledore, I’ve brought a select choice of artifacts my colleagues and I have studied over the years to present to you.”

Bluboks snapped open the brass locks of the briefcase and from it pulled a brown stick of crooked old wood. It resembled some sort of long disjointed twig that had fallen off an ancient tree.

“This,” she said, holding the object gently at both ends, “is the dark wand of Count Dezeed.”

At the sight of it, Harry felt a little tingle at the scar of his forehead.

“That old bent junk is a wand?” Ron said.

Some of the class chuckled.

“Oh, yes,” said Bluboks. “Upon close study of it, there is evidence that it was once perfectly straight and balanced like the average wand, but the pure darkness that it had been used to conjure was so intense that it twisted the very physical form.”

“Who is Count Dezeed?” asked Dean Thomas.

Hermione had read a little about Count Dezeed. Her arm shot in the air. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the arm of another girl also raised. Quicker even that Hermione’s.

“Ah! Yes, you there, dear. What is your name?” said Bluboks.

“Maddy Murray, Ma’am,” the girl said. She was of house Grryffindor and had short dark hair with rectangle framed glasses.

Hermione looked disappointed, and a little shocked, that she wasn’t called on. 

“Count Dezeed was a powerful warlock who formed and lead the cult of the Blood Star,” Maddy continued. “The cult disbanded after Dezeed’s disappearance when a group of wizards learned he was abusing dark magic to manipulate his followers into crimes that would gain him political power.”

Bluboks was impressed. “Very good, Maddy,” She said. “A well researched answer. However, it wasn’t quite political power Dezeed was after. It was more than that. It was ultimate power. Power over everyone in the world.”

Maddy’s face dropped. “Stupid. I should have known that.”

“Nonsense, Maddy. There is much the average textbooks don’t mention about Count Dezeed.”

The professor walked slowly among the class showing off the dark wand. “For instance, the legend Dezeed’s influence, and his unique talent with magic. He preyed on not only the fears of his subjects, but their hopes. Their hopes for power. Wealth. Love. Infinite knowledge. Everlasting life. Several examples exist of his promises coming to fruition for his most loyal people. Even, most infamously, his power to restore loved ones from the dead. And all of his power was harnessed through this very wand. However, very little of his legend has been proven to be true.”

Restore your loved ones from the dead. That one really stuck out to Harry. Not a day went by where he thought about what he would do to have his parents back.

“He just disappeared?” asked Neville. He was completely absorbed into Blubok’s story.

“Some speculate that Count Dezeed was not a being of this world. That he came from a far away planet. And when the group of wizards came to expose him, he simply returned to the stars.”

As the Professor passed by Malfoy with the wand he said, “It just looks like a ruddy old piece of junk to me.” He moved his hand to snatch it from Bluboks, but the instructor was fast and moved before he could touch it.

“Ah-ah-ah, mister Malfoy,” Bluboks said. Even though she was new as a professor at Hogwarts, just about everyone knew the Malfoy family. “Young, emotional, impressionable minds are the ones most easily drawn and manipulated to Dezeed’s dark power. A touch, even a look, of this wand can ensnare a poor soul into sacrificing their whole being for the treasure of it’s false promises...or, perhaps, not as false as we may think.”

“Professor Bluboks,” said Hermione. “If even a look a look at the wand could manipulate our minds, why on earth would you bring it here?”

Bluboks laughed. “Wonderful question, miss…”

“Hermione Granger, Ma’am.”

“Hermione. As far as we can tell, that part is only legend. I can tell you, as I’m holding it now, I can feel the dark energy breathing inside of it.” Bluboks then flipped the wand into one hand and pointed it directly at Hermione’s face. The class gasped. “And for that reason, the wand was specially charmed so that while it’s here at Hogwarts, it’s practically useless.” She flipped it again and held it in the middle with two fingers. “Just a hunk of wood it might as well be for now. But you can never be too careful.”

“Do you personally believe any of the legends to be true, Professor?” said Harry. “Could that wand really...bring loved ones back to life?”

Bluboks turned and locked eyes with Harry. She didn’t ask his name. She was new at Hogwarts as a professor, but everyone knew Harry Potter. “I think, with the dark arts, anything is possible...but everything comes with a price.”

***

Harry noticed a gold twinkle zoom just past him in the opposite direction. He pulled up on his broom and pivoted to the opposite direction to follow it.

“On your left!” yelled Fred.

Harry heard his teammate’s call and didn’t even think, he just reacted. He tilted the broom down and right, his eyes still on the gold twinkle. A bludger whized just past his ear. Harry wavered in the air a bit, but regained his balance and kept moving.

“Here she comes again, Harry!” said George.

Harry heard the loud pop of the club against the bludger and again maneuvered to avoid it, but this time it clipped his foot and sent him into a spiral. His foot throbbed pretty good, but, again, Harry never lost his target. 

Harry loved every part of Hogwarts and the wizarding world, but the game of quidditch was undoubtedly his favorite part. 

Another pop of a club and Harry heard Fred yell something, but he couldn’t hear it. The gold twinkle took a ninety degree dive and Harry immediately followed. The twinkle came into clear view. The golden snitch. Harry reached out his arm. The grass of the quidditch pitch seemed to be rushing toward him. The flapping wing of the snitch grazed Harry’s finger. Another pop of a club. This time louder. Closer. For the first time Harry’s eyes left his prize and he turned to see a blur that was the bludger crash into him, sending him off his broom and rolling to the grass

Harry laid for a moment dizzy on the field. The golden snitch flew to him and hovered above him. For a moment, Harry swore there were two of them. The snitch finally came to a rest on Harry’s chest, and he just managed a hand to flop lazily over it. “Got it,” he groaned.

Fred and George Weasley flew down to harry.

“Gee, Harry, sorry about that,” said George.

“Just bloody kill him, won't you, George?” said Fred.

“I’ll try harder next time.”

Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell flew from the other side of the pitch. They had all been running drills that afternoon to prepare for their game against the Ravenclaw team. Harry, Fred, and George were working on sharpening Harry’s skill as a seeker while under intense pressure from the bludger.

“What did you two do?” Wood said, landing and throwing his broom down.

“What?” said George. “He got the snitch, didn’t he? 150 points!”

“We win!” said Fred.

“Idiots,” Wood said under his breath.

“Are you okay, Harry?” asked Katie.

Harry slowly got back to his feet. “I’ll live,” he said. “I’m told I’m known for that.”

“That’s enough for today,” Wood said. “Our time on the pitch is up anyway.”

On the other side of the pitch, the Ravenclaw team was already approaching. They had reserved the field next. This year’s Ravenclaw team was almost entirely new. 

“Oi, there, Wood,” said Daniel, the new Ravenclaw Captain.

“Oi, there, Dan,” said Wood.

The two shook hands. Unlike the Slytherin team, the Ravenclaw team had ethics of sportsmanship and fair competition. Wood and his team had much respect for Daniel’s new team.

“Hot catch, there, Harry,” said June, one of the the Ravenclaw beaters.

“Just a preview of what to expect for tomorrow’s match,” said George.

June laughed. “Yeah, Harry on his back after I clock him with the bludger.”

They all laughed at the friendly jab. 

“Boys, ladies,” said Daniel. “This is Cormac Grimp. Our new seeker. He just transferred in.”

The Gryffindor team all said hello. Cormac returned a curt nod.

“How are the quidditch teams where you’re from, Cormac?” asked Harry.

“Better than the ones here, I’m learning,” Cormac said. 

Cormac was tall and slim with dark skin and long braided hair. Harry was the only person he seemed to care to make eye contact with. And not just eye contact, he seemed to stare at Harry. Harry hadn’t noticed really. He was pretty used to being stared at by now. But he did notice Cormac’s standoffish attitude. Perhaps it was because he was new and still adjusting. Harry could certainly relate to that.

The teams exchanged goodbyes and team Gryffindor handed over the pitch. Harry looked back and saw Cormac still boring into him. He touched the scar on his forehead. It seemed to tingle a bit. Not a hard burn or throb like when You-Know-Who was around, but there was definitely an odd feeling with his scar.

***

Harry cleaned up and changed out of his quidditch robes back to his student work robes. He was to meet Ron and Hermione in the library to work on their homework together. On his way, he was greeted by jolly Nearly Headless Nick who was floating about with his head unhinged and upside down on top of his shoulder. A first year Hufflepuff saw this and suddenly looked sick. 

Harry also passed Ron’s sister, Ginny. “Hello, Ginny,” Harry said with a smile.

The girl’s face turned almost as red as her hair. Her mouth seemed to be paralyzed. She ran the opposite direction of Harry. Funny girl, Harry thought. He smirked to himself.

If the library were a pub, then Ron and Hermione were at their usual table. Off in the corner, quiet, great for more private discussions.

“Crassocious Expellius,” Ron whispered. He flicked his wand as he spoke the words. On the table in front of him, his pet rat, Scabbers, looked at him curiously.

“What are you doing?” Hermione asked. Her eyes never left the book sitting in front of her. She casually tapped the edge of the book with her wand to turn the pages.

Ron lifted his rat from the table. “I’m worried old scabbers is starting to get kinda fat,” he said. 

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Maybe if you didn’t feed him sweets and candy all the time, he wouldn’t gain so much weight.”

“Aw, I can’t do that to the little guy,” Ron said. “It’s our favorite hobby together. He loves it.”

Harry joined his friends at the table.

“Hey, Harry,” Ron said. “Heard George gave you a good wallop.”

“I’ve had worse,” Harry said. He rubbed at his scar again. He had a lingering fuzzing sensation to it, as if someone kept tickling it with a feather.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Harry?” Hermione asked. “Maybe we should go see Madam Pomfrey.”

“No, it’s not that. There’s a new student that just transferred in. He--”

“It’s not fair!” a voice shouted. It shook nearly everyone in the library.

Ron, Harry and Hermione wiped their heads around to see Maddy Murray in front of Irma Pince’s desk. She looked awfully distraught.

“Young lady!” Pince said in a harsh whisper that wasn’t really a whisper. “You will keep your voice down in this library!”

“You’ve got to let me in,” Maddy pleaded. “I’m going to fail! I need to study!”

“For the thirteenth time, no student is allowed in the restricted section without permission from a professor!” Pince said, still trying to maintain a whispery voice.

Professor Flitwick came around the corner to see what the shouting was all about. “Everyone alright here, ladies?” he said.

Maddy rushed to him. She bent down to get closer. “Professor, you’ve got let me into the restricted section! There’s so much I have to study for! I have to be ready!”

“Calm yourself, my dear,” Flitwick said sympathetically. “I assure you, everything you need to study is right here in the library proper available to everyone. Why, we wouldn’t test students on a subject they couldn’t study for.”

Maddy growled at Flitwick and turned away, stomping off. “I’m going to fail!” she shouted. “And it’s all your fault!”

Flitwick pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and patted his forehead. “My, my,” he said quietly to himself.

“Wow,” Ron said. “And I thought Hermione was obsessed with studying. Looks like you’ve got some competition for ‘nerd of the year.’”

Hermione looked at him sharply. “You’d do well to care more about your studies,” she said. “Then maybe you could actually manage a proper spell!”

Everyone in the library watched Maddy storm out. Harry noticed that Cormac, sweaty and still in his quidditch robes, had been just outside the archway and watched the hole thing as well. As soon as Maddy passed him, it looked like he followed right after her.

***

The next morning at breakfast, Ron, Harry, and Hermione enjoyed great helpings of scrambled eggs, sausages, and mugs of pumpkin juice. The Great Hall was buzzing with conversation and excitement for the day, especially the weekend’s quidditch match.

With a mouth full of sausages, Ron said, “What do you think her problem is?”

Harry and Hermione looked up and saw Professor Bluboks hastily walking toward to back of the hall where Dumbledore, Hagrid, Snape and the other professors and staff were eating and talking. Her expression was serious and grim. Dumbledore noticed her immediately and put up a hand to silence the other voices at the table. The Headmaster’s face fell in disappointment. Obviously, Ron, Harry, and Hermione couldn't hear what was said, but they could tell it was not good news.

Dumbledore stood from his seat and said, “Attention, students.” He spoke without raising his voice, yet his words still were loud and echoed across the room. Forks and mugs and laughter came to a halt, and everyone turned to listen. “All classes and activities are suspended immediately until further notice.” There was a mixture of cheers and groans, and Dumbledore raised his hand signaling silence. “Prefects, please escort your housemates back to the dormitories and wait there for further instructions.”

Everyone began to stir.

“Does this mean the match is off for tomorrow?” asked Angelina who was sitting a bit further down from Harry.

Wood flipped his plate of half eaten eggs. “Of course it does!” he said. “Everytime something goes wrong, the first thing they do is cancelled the quidditch matches! What’s the bloody point of all the practice then?”

Angelina watched him get up and stomp away.

The Gryffindor students all marched up the stair cases and through the halls to their tower, lead by Percy Weasley. “Come on, everyone,” Percy said. “No dragging your feet!”

Ron, Harry, and Hermione pushed their way through the other students to Percey. 

“Hey, Pers,” Ron said. “What’s this all about?”

“How should I know?” Percy said. “Come on, everyone! Keep up!”

At the portrait of the Fat Lady, Percy spoke the secret password, and everyone begin filing into the common room. Maddy was sitting alone by the fire with three books open on a table in front of her. It appeared as if she were somehow reading all three of them at once. She flinched at the sudden noise of the entire Gryffindor house suddenly packing the common room. Annoyed, and maybe a little frightened, she moved her books to a table and chair to the corner, hopefully to be left alone.

Ron noticed this and said, “Who would put books before breakfast? That’s insanity.”

Hermione rolled her eyes and walked over to Maddy. “Hi Maddy,” Hermione said. The girl flinched again, and she glared at Hermione. “I was wondering, maybe we could study together. I know what it’s like to get worked up over papers and exams. I think we could help each other.”

Maddy slammed all three of her books closed, collected them in her arms and stood up. “I don’t need simpletons holding me back or riding my coattails. Do your own studies!” Maddy rushed up the stairs to the girls dormitory.

Hermione walked back to Harry and Ron stunned. Ron had completely bust a gut and was nearly on the floor with laughter. “What did I say?” said Hermione. “Simpleton?” She said, now hurt and angry.

Ron slumped onto a couch and buried his face into a pillow to stifle his laughter.

A few hours went by. Most of the students were enjoying the extra time off from class, others looked bored to tears. Ron and Harry played a few rounds of wizard’s chess (Ron was still giggling over Maddy calling Hermione a simpleton). Hermione got a head start on a transfiguration paper due next week.

Everyone heard the Fat Lady portrait slide upen from the steps just below, and they all gathered around to see who it was. Dumbledore, Professor Mcgonagall, Professor Snape, and Professor Bluboks entered the common room.

“I apologize for the inconvenience to your studies, students,” Dumbledore said. “Unfortunately, there has been a theft. As you know, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, Professor Bluboks, has brought with her an artifact of the dark arts. The wand of Count Dezeed. The wand has gone missing. Even though precautions were take to keep it safe on school grounds, it is still a very dangerous instrument in the hands of someone not properly trained to defend against its dark power. So we are forced to do a thorough search other entire school until it is found. But that’s not all. Upon our search, Miss Pince discovered that a book from the restricted section of the library has also gone missing. These are not items to be toyed with or taken lightly. So for your own protection, we ask that you all remain here in the dormitory.”

There were more groans than cheers now. Perhaps the break in classes wasn’t worth being stuck in the dormitory for who-knows-how-long.

Professors Bluboks and Mcgonagall headed up to the girls rooms, while Snape and Dumbledore made for the boys rooms. Percy, feeling as Gryffindor prefect it was his duty to assist in discovering who committed such a dastardly crime, followed Snape and Dumbledore.

Ron, Harry, and, Hermione huddled together.

“It’s that breakfast missing loony bin, I bet,” Ron said. “We all saw how she freaked out when she couldn’t get into the restricted section yesterday. Now suddenly a book is missing. And that crazy wand.”

“The book makes sense,” Harry said. “But how could she have gotten in there. I barely got in and out with my invisibility cloak. I guess it’s not impossible that she has one too.”

“Someone like her probably wouldn’t need a cloak,” Hermione said. “Someone who studies that much and that hard is probably onto some advance spells and charms. I ought to know. (she had a bit of a smug smirk as she said that) The restricted section of the library is meant to keep out low level students. A proper wizard or witch could, likely, easily get in and out without being noticed.”

“But why steal the wand?” Harry said. “Maddy gets intense about her studies, sure, but she doesn’t strike me as someone wanting to steal dark magic.”

“I wonder if they’ve checked Malfoy’s room yet,” Ron added.

A moment later, Percy came down the stairs from the boys rooms. He said nothing, but gave Harry a dark look, and moved up to the girl’s rooms.

Dumbledore came halfway down the steps behind Percy. “Harry,” he said, gently. “Could you come up here, please?”

Ron and Hermione both looked at Harry confused. Harry himself was also quite confused. What did Dumbledore need him for? He followed the Headmaster up the stairs and into Harry and Ron’s room. A moment later, Mcgonagall, and Bluboks came through the door with Percy behind them. 

The trunk at the foot of Harry’s bed was open, and clearly dug through. Laying on his bed was a large dusty old book and the dark wand. 

Harry’s eyes widened behind his glasses.

“Please explain what these were doing in your trunk, Harry,” said Dumbledore.

Professor Mcgonagall made a quiet gasp. Snape crossed his arms and wore his usual scowl.

Harry swallowed hard. “I...I don’t know, Sir,” Harry said at last.

“They were found wrapped in this,” Snape said. He held out two fingers pinched together. Professor Blubox looked puzzled until Snape flicked his hand and the dark inner lining of the invisibility cloak could be seen.

“Someone must have got in and put them there,” said Harry. His chest was thumping and his face felt hot. “Honest, Sir, I know nothing about it.”

“Professor Snape, Professor Bluboks,” Dumbledore said. “Please collect the found items. I believe this is a conversation best held in my chambers.”

***

Dumbledore sat behind his large polished desk, surrounded by several magical trinkets and baubles. Harry sat across from him in a little wooden chair. Snape, Mcgonagall, and Bluboks were on either side of Harry. Dumbledore’s pet phoenix, Fawkes, stirred on his perch in the corner.

“I was with Ron and Hermione all night last night and all this morning,” Harry said. “They’ll tell you themselves, I never snuck off to steal anything.”

“Well they certainly wouldn't see you doing it, would they, Potter?” Snape said. He had a small smile to his lips. He was loving this. “Not with that invisibility cloak of yours. Contraband like that should be enough to get you expelled.”

“It’s not contraband, Severus,” Dumbledore said. “I gave that to Harry myself.”

Snape’s mouth was agape. “And clearly Potter has been going wherever and whenever he pleases, sneaking around the school after hours, and stealing,” he said. “It should be confiscated and burned.”

“I’m not convinced Harry did anything just yet,” Dumbledore said.

“Headmaster, the evidence is clear!” Snape said.

“Evidence is not proof.” Dumbledore gave Snape a look, and Snape gave up -- for now. “Now, Harry,” he said. “Explain again why we would find these stolen objects in your trunk?”

Harry looked at the old book and the crooked wand.

“Someone else must have went in my room and put them there,” Harry said.

“And who would do that?” asked Mcgonagall.

“I don’t know,” Harry said. “Honest, I don’t know anything about it.”

Bluboks carefully picked up the wand to examine it closer.

Snape now leaned against a bookcase in the corner. “Terribly convenient that the moment the wand of Count Dezeed arrives at Hogwarts -- a wand know for dark magic such as bringing loved ones back from the dead -- is suddenly stolen and found in possession of the boy whose parents were famously murdered.”

Harry gave Snape a hard look. 

Snape returned it equally.

“Something’s not right,” said Bluboks. All eyes turned to her. “Before, just by merely holding the wand, I could feel the dark energy flowing through. But now I can’t feel anything. Like it’s been drained of its power. Empty.”

Snape rushed to the desk and opened the book. Bluboks knew exactly what Snape was thinking. Why didn’t they notice it before? The stolen book was a collection of various spells and incantations. Some of which were written before they were considered to be dangerous and classified as dark magic.

Harry watched Snape frantically turn through sections of the book, every so often noticing that chunks of pages were missing.

“What is it?” Mcgonagall asked.

Snape and Bluboks looked at each. “The missing pages in this book,” Snape said, turning to Dumbledore, “are all dark spells created or perfected by Count Dezeed.”

“Who ever stole those pages could have transferred the power from the wand to something else,” said Bluboks. “Another wand, or some other simple iteam. A ring, a quill. And something that doesn’t have the safety charms cast to it like this one did.”

“So tell us, Potter,” Snape said, turning to Harry. “Where is it? The pages, the item you transformed the dark power to.”

Harry had gotten seriously tired of Snape’s accusations and was about to say something nasty about it, but Dumbledore interrupted: “I think whoever was after the Dezeed spells and wand took what they wanted, and left Harry with the leftovers, if you will, to take the blame for the crime. It’s no secret about the tragic fate of Harry’s parents. And knowing what Dezeed’s magic can do, I think it’s an easy conclusion to draw.

“On more than one occasion has this school, it’s students, and it’s staff, owed Harry some gratitude for combating certain dark arts that would see us all dead.”

Snape shifted uncomfortably.

“And I, personally,” Dumbledore continued, “do not believe that Harry is of the character to go about stealing and manipulating a dangerous craft he doesn’t understand.”

Mcgonagall smiled and looked at Harry. “I think I can agree with that,” she said.

Harry smiled back. A wave of relief fell over him.

“Now, Harry,” Dumbledore said. “The professors and I have much to discuss. You may return to your dormitory.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Harry said. He rose from his chair and stood in front of Snape, who was still holding tightly to the invisible cloak. Dumbledore cleared his throat, and looked sternly at Snape.

Snape held out the cloak for Harry to take, but when Harry grabbed it, Snape yanked at it and pulled Harry closer. “I would be very very careful if I were you, Potter.”

Snape let go of the cloak, and Harry left quickly. He was relieved to be out of that room. He was angry, and not just at Snape for his accusations and bringing up his parents, but angry at whoever tried to frame him.

***

When Harry walked through the portrait and into the common room, everyone was surprised to see him.

“We thought for sure you were on your way to Hogsmeade Station and gone,” Said George.

“Expelled, even!” followed Fred.

Harry told everyone what had happened. The missing pages, the now dud of a dark wand, and that Mcgonagall and Dumbledore both agree it was a frame up job (though, he left out the part about the invisible cloak. Now that Snape and other teachers, beside Dumbledore and Hagrid, know about it, he’ll have to be extra careful using it to sneak around the grounds.)

“Did they say anything about if quidditch was back on?” asked Wood.

“They didn’t. Sorry, Wood,” Harry said.

Wood let out a long sigh and collapsed back into a chair.

The room went abuzz with chatter. Ron and Hermione pulled Harry aside.

“They let you off, just like that?” Ron asked.

“I can’t quite believe it myself,” Harry said.

“I mean, it makes sense,” Hermione said. “Anyone who really knows Harry knows he wouldn’t do something like that. Dumbledore and McGonagall aren’t stupid enough to fall for such a dirty trick.”

“There is one problem,” Harry said. He looked to make sure no one was really watching them, and reached under his robes and then held out his hand. His fingers looked clutched to the thin air. “They know about this now.”

Ron knew immediately what Harry meant, and rubbed his fingers over Harry’s hand to confirm. “They know about the invisibility cloak?”

“Worst of all, Snape knows about it. The wand and book were wrapped up inside of it.”

“But only us, Dumbledore, and Hagrid knew you had it,” Hermione said. “Who else knows about it enough to hid those things with it?”

“That’s a great question,” Harry said.

***

Later that evening, Professor McGonagall returned to the Gryffindor common room and announced that the next day’s classes would resume as scheduled, however, extracurricular activities were still on hold, and a strict curfew would be in place as the investigation into the theft of the wand and missing book pages continued.

During and after breakfast the next morning, Hermione had her nose in a Defense Against the Dark Arts book. Professor Bluboks had assigned them to read the chapter on the effects of and counterspells to wolverine hair hexes. In typical Hermione fashion, she had read the chapter several times already and was preparing for the next lesson.

Hermione gasped. “This is awful!” she said.

“What is it,” Harry asked.

“There is cure that can be delivered by owls. After the curse is delivered, the owl dies!”

“What a fowl thing to do,” Ron said.

Harry and Hermione were mid eye roll when Malfoy and his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle, shoved there way past the trio, bumping their shoulders hard. Hermione’s book was knocked from her hands.

“Must say, fellas. Hogwarts’s standards are really starting to drop,” Malfoy said. “Ridiculous that a thief like Potter isn’t kicked out immediately. Of course, old man Dumbledore is finally off his rocker. Just wait until my father hears of this.”

“Shut up, Malfoy,” Ron said. “I’d bet 100 galleons that you were behind the whole thing.”

Malfoy laughed. “Don’t kid yourself, Weasley. You’re family has never even seen that many galleons.”

Ron took a step toward Malfoy--

“Sepratriticus,” a voice said.

Ron, Harry, Hermione, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle all suddenly stumbled to their lefts and rights.

Maddy walked between them, her wand held erect in front of her. Other students were turning in shock at the sight of her. Her short black hair now had a long dark purple streak hanging to the side of her face. As she passed by she stepped on Hermione’s book, her heel tearing a page from it.

“Hey!” Hermione said.

“Idiots,” Maddy said, not bothering to look at them as she walked into class.

Harry rubbed at the scar on his forehead. It had that funny tickling sensation again.

Professor Bluboks appeared at the door of the classroom. “Class starts in 10 seconds, children. Don’t be late.”

Everyone filed in and took their seats.

“Alright, class,” Bluboks began. “I trust you all did your reading for today. Now who can tell me the first sign of a wolverine hair hex?”

Hermione’s arm shot up, but before Bluboks could call on her, Maddy spoke. “Green zits on the finger and toe nails,” she said.

Bluboks shifted her eyes. “Correct, Maddy. And--

“Followed by lesions of the eye whites, and sneezing mold,” Maddy continued. “The Hex is broken when the victim whispers a secret to a black cat. Professor Bluboks, is your class going to always be this boring?”

Bluboks laughed softly and leaned against the front of her desk. “Maddy, I appreciate you studying so diligently, but perhaps we should give the rest of the class a chance to learn at a more steady pace.”

“I didn’t come to Hogwarts to be held back by a bunch of amateurs. I came here to learn from the best wizards and witches in the country. And what happened to our lessons on Count Dezeed?”

“Well, consider this your first lesson of any wizard or witch’s most valuable attribute,” Bluboks said. “Patience. And, given the circumstances around the recent theft, Headmaster Dumbledore and I have decided it would be best to postpone that subject.”

Maddy groaned loudly and laid her head in her hand.

“Just the other day she was in the library freaking out about getting behind,” Ron whispered.

“And now she acts like she should be teaching the class,” Hermione whispered back.

“She seems rather anxious to learn more about Dezeed,” Harry whispered. “Perhaps she did steal those pages, but they weren’t quite enough for her.”

“And with the restricted section locked down, she can’t go back for any seconds,” whispered Ron.

“But they searched the whole school looking for those pages. Twice,” Hermione whispered.

“They didn’t search the students themselves,” Harry whispered. “She could have been hiding them in her robes.”

Ron and Harry looked at Hermione.

“What?”

“You’ve got to get close to her,” Harry whispered. “She always studies in private, right? Ron and I can’t exactly walk up to the girls dorm without looking suspicious.”

“Or looking like perverts,” Ron whispered.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Say you need some help studying. That you’re having trouble with the lesson,” Harry whispered.

Hermione made a face. “What? No! I’m not going to little miss know-it-all like I actually need her help!”

“Did you actually just call someone else a know-it-all?” Ron whispered.

“Shut up!”

“Hermione, you’ve got to try,” Harry whispered. “Every student will be trapped in their common rooms until those pages turn up. Not to mention, if she is using those pages to teach herself dark magic, she could end up hurting herself and other kids.”

Hermione shook her head and sighed. “Fine...I’ll try.”

***

Oliver Wood was still frustrated that the quidditch match against Ravenclaw was cancelled. With the curfew and activity restrictions in place, the Gryffindor team couldn't head out to the pitch for their regular practice sessions. But that didn’t keep the Captain from going over strategies and plays with the others. 

There were only a few hours between the last class and then dinner in the Great Hall before everyone was to go directly to their house towers. And Wood used every minute of it he could, but he knew it was time to wrap up when Fred and George’s attention was more on cracking jokes than the chalkboard. 

The gang headed toward the Great Hall for their meal. Harry hoped to catch Hagrid also on his way to the Hall before he got too far away from his cabin. Last week he mentioned he was drying out some criturelles skin that would be great for some added grib to his broom.

Harry’s scar suddenly got a fuzzy feeling again.

“Harry,” a voice called out. 

Harry turned and saw Cormac, the new Ravenclaw seeker, walking toward him. Something is definitely up with this guy, Harry thought. Only Voldemort had ever been the one to irritate his scar before. This is the second time he had been around Cormac and again he got that tickle on his head.

Reluctantly, Harry slowed his pace to let Cormac catch up. “Hello, Cormac.”

“Hi, Harry,” Cormac said. He seemed to stir in his robes, searching for his words. “I know this is...unusual, what I’m about to ask.”

Harry steeled himself at those words.

“I’ve never played seeker before,” Cormac said. “From what I hear, you have a pretty great record as a seeker. I know I’m part of a rival team, but I hoped you might give a newbie some tips.”

Harry laughed nervously. He suddenly felt relieved. “Sure, no problem,” Harry said. The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw teams had a great relationship based on respect and sportsmanship, so Harry didn’t mind. He was even a little flattered. 

“Great,” Cormac said, smiling. “Perhaps we can meet in the library after classes tomorrow?”

“Sounds good,” Harry said.

“Thanks, again,” Cormac said. “See you then.” And he was off to the Great Hall.

***

Hermione had been known to put in plenty of extra hours studying, but it was rare that she would ever miss a meal over it. Most of the time she had a book in front of her while she ate anyway, so doing both was no problem. Maddy, however, could seeming function on one meal a day, if not every other day. Hermione admired the dedication, but she also loved a good lamb pie and cinnamon cider.

Maddy was nowhere to be found in the Great Hall that evening, so Hermione figured she was having a private study session back at Gryffindor tower. She cut short her dinner and went straight to the common room. It was empty when she came through the painting, so Maddy must have been up in her dormitory.

Hermione walked the stairs and stood in front of the room that she knew was Maddy’s. She swallowed her pride -- and swallowed it hard -- then she knocked on the door.

On the other side, Hermione could hear a muffled curse word, followed by some shuffling, but no answer. She knocked again, and it was quiet. If Maddy was in there, she wasn’t going to invite anyone in. So Hermione let herself in.

“Excuse me!” Maddy said, when Hermione opened the door. She was sitting on her bed, a book open in front of her. Other books and papers were scattered around. Her robe layed spread out at the foot of the bed.

“Oh, sorry,” Hermione said. She fixed a plastic smile on her face. “I thought I heard someone say come in.”

“Well, you didn’t, now leave!”

“Hey, Maddy,” Hermione said, walking slowly toward the bed. Her eyes were shifting at all the books and papers scattered around, searching for any old looking or torn pages. “I was wondering if you could--” Hermione choked “--help me a bit with my studies.”

“Hermione, I don’t have time to drag others behind me. Find someone else.”

Hermione blurt laughed out loud. She tried hard to keep fixed smile. “Okay sure,” she said. She walked around the other side of the bed to get a look, but nothing looked out or out of place. “By the way, I love what you’ve done with your hair.” Hermione sit at the foot of the bed and theard the crunch of paper from underneath the robe.

Maddy and Hermione locked eyes. Maddy seemed like she had stopped breathing for a moment.

Hermione got up and grabbed the robe. “Oh, Maddy, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sit on--”

“Wait--just, hold on,” Maddy said. She crawled across the bed and snatched the papers from underneath the robe.

Hermione’s smile was genuine this time. She only saw them for a second before Maddy snatched them away, but sure enough, there they were. The stolen pages. 

Maddy turned her back to Hermione and started folding over the pages and stuffing them into her book bag.

“Is everything alright?” Hermione said.

Before Maddy could say anything, some girls walked into the room chatting. Dinner must have just let out. Maddy grabbed her robe and her bag and walked out. Hermione followed of course.

The common room was filling up with full Gryffindor bellies. Maddy was walking very quickly. Hermione kept having to push through shoulders to catch up. She saw Ron and Harry and dashed over to them.

“She’s got the pages,” Hermione said. “She taking off with them now.” They could see her going against the tide of students toward the Fat Lady painting.

“We’ve got to follow her,” Harry said. 

“What about the curfew?” said Hermione.

“We have to get those pages back,” Ron said. “If I’m stuck in this common room for much longer, I’m gonna crack.”

“I’m going after her,” Harry said.

Ron and Hermione were right behind him.

They pushed their way through the opening. Maddy had just rushed down a flight of stairs and was turning down a hallway.

“Where do you think you’re off too,” Percy said. Ron’s Prefect brother had just come around the corner. “Curfew is on. Back inside you three.”

“We were just looking for you, Percy,” Ron said. “Fred and George smuggled in a few bottles of troll rum. Looks like it might get a little loose in there tonight.”

“Oh have they now!” Percy said. “Well have I got a reality check for those two!”

Percy marched through the painting.

“Brilliant, Ron,” Harry said.

The three of them rushed down the stair cast to Maddy’s direction, but half way it started to rotate. 

“Damn,” Harry said.

“We’re going to lose her,” Ron said.

“Let’s just go straight to Professor McGonagall,” Hermione said.

Harry was determined. “We need proof.”

Finally, the staircase stopped and they leap off, hoping they weren’t too far behind.

They turned a corner down a long hallway and stopped dead in there tracks.  
Standing at the other end of the hallway was a dark cloaked figure. It wore a hood, and the shadow of it absorbed every feature of its face as if there were nothing underneath but pure darkness. On its black chest was the form of a star painted in red.

“Well that’s right odd,” Ron said.

The dark figure started walking toward the three. Ron, Harry, and Hermione didn’t move. They had no idea what what they were looking at.

With a wave of its gloved hand, the dark figure conjured a wand, and it pointed it at them. The air got suddenly hot.

“Get back!” Hermione shouted.

The three of them stumbled and fell back around the corner. A bolt struck the edge of the wall and exploded, peppering them with shattered stone. They moved to go back up the stairs they came, but the staircase had already shifted.

Just below them, another staircase settled into place, and they ran down it.

Another bolt whizzed by them and crashed into the wall. The cloaked figure was on their heels. Whatever was after them was after blood.

“Around the next corner!” Harry said, pointing. “Get your wands ready!”

They turned down another hallway. Their shoes slid across the floor as they came to a halt. They drew their wands and pointed them, waiting for the cloaked attacker. 

The dark form appeared. His pace toward them was quickening.

They all shouted at once. “Expelliarmus!”

Their wands shot a bolt at the pursuer, but the figure swatted them away with a flick of his wand, never dropping his pace.

“Um..” Harry said.

“What do we do now?” Ron said.

“Run!” Hermione said.

The three turned and ran again, another bolt narrowly missed them. Before they could round the next corner, Professor Snape emerged. His face was rigid. He pointed his wand.

The three students instinctively dropped to the floor.

“Sectumsempra!” Snape shouted. 

Ron, Harry, and Hermione could feel the power of the bolt as it passed over their heads.

The spell collided with the cloaked figure, and it was pushed to the floor. It scrambled back to its feet. 

Snape raised his wand again.

Before another shot could be fired, the figure crouched down and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Snape’s looked down curiously at the three students on the floor. “Detention,” he said.

***

Harry found himself back in Dumbledore’s office, again with Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Bluboks, though this time Ron and Hermione got to share the grilling.

“What on earth were you three doing outside the common room?” McGonagall said. “We have a curfew in place for a reason!”

Ron, Harry, and Hermione’s eyes were looking at the floor, afraid to look up.

“The attacker,” Snape said. “Wore a hood. I didn’t get a look at his face.”

“And you say he had a red star on his chest?” said Bluboks.

“Yes,” Snape said.

“This is...troubling,” Bluboks said.

“I want an answer,” McGonagall said to her students.

Hermione spoke first. “I found the stolen pages.”

The teachers stiffened.

“Maddy Murray has them. I saw them,” Hermione said. “We were following her--”

“And then that bloody thing showed up,” Ron said. “I bet she used some dark magic to become that thing and attack us.”

Just then, the door to Dumbledore’s chambers opened. Mrs. Norris rushed in. Following her was Maddy, and then Filtch who had a twisted smile.

“Found a stray,” Filtch said.

“Well, well,” McGonagall said. “Isn’t this convientiant. Are you alright, Maddy?”

“Fine,” Maddy said. She plopped down in a chair and folded her arms.

“Did you encounter any murderous ghouls while roaming the halls past curfew?”

“No,” Maddy said curiously.

Dumbledore looked at Hermione. Hermione’s eyes went wide when she noticed the headmaster was looking at her. “Hermione, these are very serious accusations you’re making against Maddy.”

Maddy looked at Hermione. She instantly knew what Hermione had told them.

“Maddy,” Dumbledore continued. “Do you have pages torn from a book stolen from the restricted section of the library?”

Maddy stirred in her chair. Her eyes were furious at Hermione. Everyone waited for her to speak. Her face slowly dropped. Her mouth frowned. Her eyes gave tears, and she broke down.

“I’m sorry,” she wept. “Please don’t expel me.”

“Where are the pages, Maddy?” Dumbledore said.

Maddy reached into her robes and pulled out a crumbled roll of papers. She dropped them on Dumbledore’s desk. Bluboks and Snape picked them up and inspected them.

“Maddy, why did you steal the book and the wand?” Dumbledore asked.

“I didn’t steal them,” Maddy said. “They were given to me. I was afraid I was going to fail my classes and be kicked out,” Maddy said, wiping away tears. “Someone told me if I helped make it look like Harry stole the book and the wand and got him expelled, then they would help me do better. They told me what chapters in the book to look for, so I took them.”

“Who asked you to do this?” Dumbledore asked.

“I...I don’t know,” Maddy said. “I never saw their face.”

“You put the book and the wand in my trunk?” Harry said.

“Yes,” Maddy said.

“How did you know about the invisible cloak?” Hermione asked.

“I didn’t. I just found it when I opened Harry’s trunk. I thought if I wrapped them in that then no one would find them. I didn’t really want you to get expelled, Harry. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. But I already had what I wanted. And I was so obsessed. I’m sorry.”

“Why do they want me expelled?”

“I don’t know,” Maddy said. “I didn’t care. Ever since Professor Bluboks’s first class I’ve been so worried about failing.”

“Headmster Dumbledore. I’m afraid this is my fault,” Bluboks said. “I knew the risk of bringing the dark wand to Hogwarts, and the possible influence it could take on the children. I’m afraid Maddy may have fell to some temptation of its power. More frightening, there appears to be a sect of someones who know how to manipulate these students’ feelings.”

“We all knew the risk,” Dumbledore said. “It seems the precautions we took weren’t enough. I am to blame as much as anyone.”

“The cloaked figure Professor Snape describes matches the description of a member of the Blood Star cult,” Bluboks said. 

“The followers of Count Dezeed,” Dumbledore said.

“Yes, sir. We have a very serious situation on our hands. If the Blood Star cult is indeed alive and at Hogwarts, then their goal is likely to steal and revive the dark magic of Count Dezeed.”

“But what does that have to do with Harry?” Ron said. “Why try to get him expelled?”

Harry rubbed the scar on his head. “I’ve been getting this...feeling,” he said. “Whenever I had been around Vold-- You-Know-Who -- my scar would burn. Lately, it’s not as intense as that, but it’s noticeable.”

“Do you recall each time you got this feeling on your scar?” Bluboks asked.

“It started with the dark wand. Then once when Maddy was around. And then when another student has been around. A new student.”

“Who?”

Harry felt guilty saying. “His name is Cormac. He’s the new seeker on the Ravenclaw team.”

“I see,” Dumbledore said grimly.

“I wonder if the scar on your head, Harry, is an indicator of any presence of dark magic. Not just You-Know-Who’s presence,” said Bluboks.

“Has Cormac shown any aggression toward you, Harry?” said Dumbledore. “Any cause for suspicion?”

“Just the opposite, really. We were to meet tomorrow in the library. Seemed like he wanted to be friends.”

“Professor McGonagall,” Dumbledore said. “If you would please escort your students back to their tower please. Professor Snape, if you would please join them in case any other...characters should appear.”

McGonagall noded.

“Certainly, Headmaster,” Snape said.

“Until this matter is resolved, all students are to be seen to their classes with a teacher. All extra activities will remain postponed. And Harry,” Dumbledore said. “It appears that someone would see you gone from Hogwarts. Or, worse yet, dead. It would be wise to think twice before going on any late night strolls through the halls.” Finally, he stood from behind his desk, and looked to Bluboks. “Professor, if you will join me, I’d like to ask Cormac Murray question for two.”

***

As breakfast began the next morning, the story was starting to get around, and it wasn’t just over Ron, Harry, and Hermione’s attacker. 

The Ravenclaw table was bustling. Dan, and his quidditch team, however, looked sullen as they ate their eggs and porridge. According to what Dan told Wood, Professor Bluboks and Dumbledore appeared at Ravenclaw tower to see Cormac. The three of them and Filius Flitwick spoke privately in Cormac’s dorm, when a short time later, a series of explosions broke out. Apparently, a set of suspicious robes had been found in Cormac’s possession and no one could could account for his whereabouts for the last hour. When Professor Bluboks noticed the dark magic radiating from the robes, Cormac attacked the teachers. The battle was brief. Cormac was outnumbered, but the power of the dark magic he controlled could have easily been formable for any one of the teachers. Even Dumbledore.

The rogue student was quickly hauled off campus to be picked up by the Ministry shortly.

“We’re done,” said Dan. “I failed all of Ravenclaw. It was up to me to build a new team. As soon as I do I recruit a psychopath.”

“That Cho Chang is pretty good on a broom,” Katie said.

Overnight, Hogwarts had gone relatively back to normal. Activities and classes were back on. The curfew was lifted. Quidditch was back on (even though Ravenclaw’s team was in a bit of a mess). None of the students really knew the details on what Cormac’s mission at Hogwarts was; the details seemed to be need-to-know, and Harry kinda felt like he oughta-know since he was a target in this plot. The only thing Ron, Harry, and Hermione could gather was that Cormac was a member of the Blood Star cult and was after the power in Count Dezeed’s wand. The other details, or how it involved Harry was all still a mystery. The biggest shock to the teachers, especially Professor Bluboks, was that any part of the Blood Star cult still existed.

That very night Wood had an hour on the pitch reserved, and everyone on the team was excited to be back on a broom again. After their normal drills, they enjoyed just tossing the quaffle back and forth. It was dark, and nobody had the pitch reserved after them, so Madam Hooch let them have it as long as they turned in before it got too late.

Fred was balancing himself on his broom with one foot when large cold gust of wind blew through. Everyone wavered and rocked on their brooms in the air. Fred completely lost his balance, but Angelina caught him before he took a dive to the grass.

A crack of thunder split the air. Everyone winced at the sound of it.

“That’s weird,” Wood said. “We’re supposed to have clear skies for the next week. Alright, team, lets--”

“Ugh...you guys,” Katie said. She was pointing toward the ground. “What the bloody hell is that?”

Down on the grass stood a massive dark cloaked figure. It’s face was hidden. Its cape flapped sharply in the heavy wind. A crimson star shape was splashed across its chest. It held out it’s hand and it was struck by a bolt of lighting that the figure somehow seemed to grab and hold in place. The bolt cooled and in its place stood a large broom. Its was black as the night sky, and it’s handle jagged and twisted.

With a great leap, the figure hopped onto the dark broom, and shot like a rocket toward the team.

Harry recognized the robes immediately. A member of the Blood Star cult. His scar went hot. He could tell they were in danger. “Run!” he shouted.

The team scattered. Everyone took off in a separate direction. When Harry looked behind him, he saw the cultist was almost at his heels. With one hand, the figure conjured a wand, and shot a bolt. Harry turned his head to his front again and willed his broom to go faster. He felt a hot light explode behind him. Everything suddenly went dark.

END 

***

BONUS SCENE

Scabbers had come to learn every hole and crack in the walls of Hogwarts. There was no part of the school off limits to the rat that he was aware of. On this night his nose guided him to an eerie scent coming from the dungeons, near the potions lab.

Scabbers squeezed his fat belly through a crack to a room filled with bottles and beakers of different colors. Smoke and steam filled the room. At the other end was Severus Snape working diligently in front of a cauldron. 

Scabbers followed a narrow ledge along the middle of the wall to a table covered with odd ingredients. Particularly, the pepper stewed ox livers is what caught Scabbers’ attention. Mouth watering, Scabbers headed straight for them.

Snape abruptly turned and walked toward the table of ingredients. Scabbers, halted and shifted direction along the ledge to a spot behind a bookcase. He struggled for a moment to fit in the hiding place.

Snape grabbed a fist full of the minced ox livers, sniffed them, judged the weight of them in his palm, letting some fall from his fingers, and turned back to his cauldron. 

As soon as Snape turned his back, Scabbers moved himself out from behind the bookcase. In doing so, he rocked it slightly and sent a book falling to the floor.

Snape turned on his heels at the noise and saw the book laying on the floor. He stood as still as a statue for a moment, his ears perked and his eyes shifting. Without looking at it, he flicked his fist of ox livers at the cauldron. The bits hissed as they touched the concoction. 

Snape walked to the fallen book, picked it up and replaced it. He looked around the room again.

Scabbers turned to go the opposite direction to avoid Snape’s eyes. The Ox livers had his mouth salivating. When he squeezed around another table, it sent another glass tube to the floor, shattering it.

Snape lept toward the table, grasping at thin air. His mouth curled to a smile. “I know you’re there, Potter,” he said. “You think with that damn cloak you can treat this establishment as your own playground.” He rushed to the door, blocking the only exit. His senses again perked and looking for any odd movement.

On his way to the ingredient table, Scabbers met a gap in the ledge. He stumbled and his butt and hit Snape’s busy cauldron he was working with. Scabbers recovered, and moved along the wall.

The cauldron swayed. Snape saw it and immediately dived toward it. He expected to trap an invisible Harry Potter, but instead his hands found nothing at all and he crashed into his work table. His cauldron upturned and covered him with goop.

The door opened and Sueviel Bluboks stuck her head in. She saw Snape on the floor. “Everything alright, Severus?” she said.

Snape’s pale face burned. “Just fine, Sueviel,” he said with a smile.

Bluboks looked at him curiously, and closed the door.

Snape groaned and shook his wet hands.

Scabbers hurried through a nearby hole with a jaw full of ox livers.


End file.
